Play Each QuarterSample

Play Each Quarter

Day Three – Third Quarter – Look Up

When a battle is going on in a game, it is easy for a football player, especially in the third quarter, to forget why he is in the game. The grind has been so demanding and his attention so driven with taking care of his responsibilities, he can forget the joy of game and why he made the commitment he did in the first place. 

To remind himself, he needs to look at the crowds, the pageantry, and the atmosphere of the game. He needs to be reminded of why he worked so hard to be where he is. It is because of the love of the game that caused him to sacrifice and work so hard. It is the same way in life as men enter the third quarter of their life. 

They have worked hard to be where they are. But they can forget their priorities along the way. They need to go back to the “why” they worked so hard; otherwise they will become a Tin Man and lose their heart. They are now in that age from 44 to 64, and they have become masters of efficiency in their work. But the grind and demands on men at this time of life can slowly erode their values, and getting a job done becomes more important than the people around them who helped them get there. 

When we forget our priorities and make what we do more important than what we are and what other people are, we can lose our way. When we lose our way, we lose our purpose and we lose our life to a spiritual rut. To return to our game and do our best, we must re-establish our priorities.

God blessed man with work and work for man. The curse was not the work. The curse was the weeds, or struggles that we have in work. We can’t let the struggle against those weeds and obstacles in work or life consume us or change us. We must allow the joy of working for the Lord, whatever that might be, to answer why we work. This can happen only by asking, believing and trusting that Jesus is with us as we abide with Him in our work. Then we can keep the why before us at all times, and we can win the third quarter. Just Look Up with your eyes of faith, for He is with you right now watching you play your game.