Jacob walked off the football field. He took off his helmet and shoulder pads. He was sweaty and stinky and smiling from ear to ear. He hugged me and said, "Mr. White...I can't wait til Thursday night."
I had spent the summer leading a bible study for the Lakeview Academy football team on Thursday mornings. We focused our attention on the apostle Paul's great words found in II Timothy, "I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." We talked about just what it might take in a faith life to arrive at the end of the road and be able to speak those words. We met in the weight room, before workouts, and early. I knew Jacob was there, but was completely unaware that God was working in his life in a major way.
At the end of summer workouts, the team goes on a team building retreat for a weekend. The weekend ended at a homeless shelter where the team was to do some volunteer work after worshiping with shelter residents. The preacher, I'm told, started at 10:30 and didn't finish til 1:30. His assistant coach said it was...well...just long. But, after it all, in the corner was Jacob clutching his head coach. He was in tears. His assistant coaches opened their bibles. They prayed together. Jacob gave his life to Christ. He gave his testimony to his teammates on the team bus.
I was talking with Austin, my son, about it all. We talked about the bible study and I admitted that during some of the days there I was just fulfilling a promise I had made. I didn't mail it in...but close to it a couple of times. We talked about the weight room setting, the early morning hour. We talked about a homeless shelter worship service with a long-winded preacher. We talked about coaches who primarily coach football. We talked about a hot, stuffy school bus.
Austin commented something like, "Dad, it just goes to show you. God can do something with anything."
Jacob was baptized following an FCA meeting this past Thursday in a backyard swimming pool with dozens of his teammates and classmates watching. He was still smiling from ear to ear.
God can do something with anything.
Ain't it the truth.
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