God on our Side

Daily Gratitude Year 5- Day 113: Today, I am grateful God is on my side. 

I still wonder at the miracle. Anyone who seeks his face finds his grace. 

When we look and long for Him, there is no question that he hears and comes near. 

"Knock and the door will open."
"Seek and you will find." 
"I AM with you."
"I know the plans I have for you... when you seek me with your whole heart." Jeremiah 29:11 &13)

This comfort is our lifeboat. It carries believers through the storms, the deserts, the struggles, the confrontations with evil, the illnesses, the losses, and the disappointments. Knowing Him... it increases our joys and divides our sorrows. 

I love the concept of a team member not a fan. God wants us on the team, not just in the stands paying to cheer Him on to good victories. He wants us to sign on... to be under the contract that was signed in blood, but he will never trade us. We only leave by choice. 

Fans can be excited and passionate about their team. Team members know the sacrifice, the hard work, the bench time, the frustrations of trials, injuries and other struggles. The team is one... even when it has challenges and struggles. The team can disagree on plays and even differently interpret the coaches commands. Still, those who continue to seek His face and be in relationship... they will find him accessible and available. 

One of the interviews I watched with Jim Caviezel, who played Jesus in "The Passion of Christ" revealed something sweet. His Dad played basketball for the famous John Wooden. Wooden said that for him, it was the practices he loved. In practice, he could impact young men and mentor them. He wanted them to understand that there character was more important than winning. In a nutshell, "Character before Victory". 

Jim wasn't as good at basketball as his father - so Big 10 college ball was not his path- but one of his coaches once remarked that "Jim was the hardest working player he had ever coached". Jim poured everything into the game - even with limited talent, he gave His best."

Jim had a Dad coached and mentored by John Wooden. 
Jim had a basketball coach who recognized his talents beyond his skill.
Jim worked hard... in success and in failure.
He failed at Navy Seal acceptance 3 times.
God was not against him, but preparing him for a bigger role.
Jim trusted that God was on his side... and that was his enough. 

When faced with the choice of potential death on a cross (the doctor on the movie set feared that Jim would die if he finished the death scene... Mel Gibson let Jim choose)... or abandoning the mission... he took the cross. His commitment to the story of the cross never wavered.  

No God - no peace
Know God - know peace. 

Take in the spring air. Let your senses embrace the scents of the lilacs, the song of the birds and the mystery of a seed that sprouts like each time is the first time. 

Today, I am grateful God is on my side.