Battered and Bruised

 

One of the great joys of my life right now is that I have the privilege of experiencing college age students living out their faith and trust Jesus Christ.

On Saturday night, September 7th after a hard fought victory against the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse several members of the football team "took a knee" on the fifty yard line in the form of a circle for prayer. I happened to be down on the field and noticed what they were doing. I ran over and said, "Are you guys getting ready to pray?" The said, "Yes!" My reply was simply, "Can I join in?" There I knelt with the star quarterback leading a great prayer in the midst of his teammates thanking God for keeping everyone safe and being present with them during the game.

Last night, September 14th our football team took a beating against the highly ranked University of Wisconsin - Platteville. The entire football team had a meeting with the head coach at the 20 yard line after the game. After the coach had his talk with them, the team broke into groups of specialty positions. I was on the sideline and I was wondering if there would be a prayer offered after this mighty effort that left many of the players battered and bruised.

Sure enough the quarterback took a knee and called out to a few other players. They circled up and I ran up to them just like last Saturday. I asked the same question I did seven days earlier, "Can I join in?" "Sure" was their downcast reply. I knelt down, grabbed the hands of the young men next to me and bowed my head. After about three seconds I looked up and five pairs of battle tested eyes were staring back at mine. Caleb offered these words, "Would you mind leading us in prayer tonight?"

I was honored...

I thanked God that He was with us in victory. I thanked God that He was with us in defeat. I asked God to lift up the spirits of these young men in the week ahead. And I finished by thanking God that these young men placed their trust and love in Jesus in all things. With everyone saying, "Amen" in unison we were up on our feet and the players slowly made their way to meet their friends and family...battered and bruised.

My iWitness...

Have you ever been battered and bruised?

Maybe you weren't physically or maybe you were...

We have all had our egos bruised and even battered at times.

The question is where do we turn?

Having been ordained as a pastor for 25 years, I have always been intrigued when I hear people say, "I am having a rough time in life right now. I am mad at God. So... I am not going to talk to him or even come to church for awhile until things get better."

My response is always the same.
"What better time to let God know how you really feel! God is a big God. Believe me when I say that He can handle your anger, your confusion and He can even handle your yelling and shouting. Go ahead... let it out!"

Up on the cross, in the midst of the cruelest torture known to humanity, battered and bruised Jesus let God know how he felt..."My God... why have you forsaken me?"

I find two things fascinating about Jesus' response...

1. It was so honest!! He is up on the cross and He is shouting to God the Father as best He could, "Why have you abandoned me, your son? Why have you turned your back on me? Hey! What is going on up there? Where are you?!!"

2. He was quoting scripture. Yes! Right there in the midst of full abandonment Jesus recalls God's word. He is quoting the opening verse of Psalm 22.

It is in the midst of being battered and bruised on the football field of life that we take a knee and lift up our hearts and cry out with the assuring words of scripture that You, O God "are with me always even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28)

Feeling battered and bruised?
Believe me when I say Jesus knows how you feel...

And that's my iWitness...
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!