Speaker: Rick Enloe
Theme: The Unlikely Comeback
Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Over the World by Matt Redman; My Savior Lives by New Life Worship; You'll Come by Hillsong United; To the Ends of the Earth by Hillsong.
Read: Isaiah 57:14-15 (CEV)
Think: There is just nothing better than a good comeback story is there? I’m a huge fan of the movies about the second chance... Maybe its because I know how often I’ve needed one and God in His amazing grace has given me a do-over! It definitely allowed me to connect with Pastor Rick Enlow’s message -- the Unlikely Comeback.
I’m so grateful we serve a God who is a fan of the comeback aren’t you? And I love that He lets us know without a doubt through His love letter to us - the Bible. Scripture is full of stories of second chances, unlikely comebacks, redemption and restoration. In the Bible we find some of the greatest comeback stories of all time (which we‘ll get to later this week in our devotionals).
One of the best present-day comeback stories that I recall is that of the great boxer, George Foreman. Most people today know him because of the George Foreman Grill (if you suffer from insomnia you’ve seen the infomercials I bet) or for the fact he named every one of his five sons George. But before he was hawking grills on late night TV he was a professional boxer.
In the late 70’s he became a Christ follower and gave up his boxing career for ministry. But some years later he planned his boxing comeback --- when he was nearly 40! Coming out of retirement at that age and after so many years away from his sport was risky and a little crazy. No one especially at his life stage would be expected to be in the kind of shape required to even give a good showing, let alone win. But to the inspiration of every middle aged man in America, Foreman became the oldest fighter ever to win the heavyweight crown!
Foreman had an inspiring motive for his comeback. He needed that prize money to fund a youth center for kids who grew up much like he did - troubled and heading down a road in life that would lead no place good. (Kids you can picture who are maybe a lot like Omar was who we met during the weekend service.) God used that desire and orchestrated a comeback that was life-changing not only for Foreman and boxing fans all over the world, but especially for a whole lot of kids‘ whose lives were bettered through the ministry that prize money funded.
Do: What is it that God might be asking you to accomplish but you feel something holding you back? Don’t let it stop you - we serve a God who is a fan of the comeback and able to overcome! And just like He’s done throughout history God is able to do more than you can imagine to accomplish His good and perfect will through YOU! Seek His divine intervention then get started on that comeback today!
Pray: Father, I want to be about your business and I trust that You can help me do just what you’ve asked me to do. Even when it is against my life circumstances or when the odds are against me! I ask that you would orchestrate a comeback for me today so I can be about the work You’re calling me to. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.
|
