The Beautiful Game - Football, but to us North Americans we call it Soccer!
I used to play a lot, was on my High School team, and later played in an adult league while coaching the 9 yearolds.
Then in winter for many years played indoor soccer.
And its in indoor soccer I learned this lesson of faith!
When I played with these same guys for about 15 years, there was one guy that was much older than me, but still played remarkably well for being one of the 'older' ones on the team.
What we realized, was that this guy used to play in the Commonwealth games, and now older and on to other things, played and kept in shape in various leagues around including ours.
When we watched him play, he seemed to show flashes of great skill here and there. He would
take a high ball and corral it using his chest (you can't use your arms or hands in Soccer unless you are the keeper/goalie), and so control this high ball, and then deaden it right at his feet, in fluid motion to continue playing.
I only thought, how good he must have been when he was in his prime, playing for the British commonwealth.
So, what is the lesson on faith?
When this friend of mine played, he was always smiling and laughing throughout the entire game. You couldn't question his enjoyment or whether or not he was having fun.
Now there were younger guys playing, some would take the games very seriously, and sometimes I regret to say, some guys took it overboard and too serious. Anger, swearing and very aggressive play would dominate.
But my older friend through it all, would be laughing, or at the least smiling.
That was years ago and the other day the LORD gave me a quick vision of the times I had playing soccer with this group of men.
So the question, why was this older soccer friend, laughing and grinning when he played when others were arrogant and angered so often?
The answer....
My friend played in the biggest games before - this was nothing, so he laughed.
Then the LORD spoke, "when faith reaches the highest, you laugh".
Calling it the "Laugh of Faith".
Why?
You've seen GOD come through in something much bigger before, and you know
HE will do it again.
Your talking to someone who doesn't understand this 'walk by faith' that us Christians live
by, and they are so stressed about their problem and you have compassion with joy!
Why?
Because you've see GOD save and work miracles for yourself before and are resting that
your prayers are already answered and can start to laugh.
Proverbs talks a lot about wisdom, and right living, but the end of Proverbs talks about the most Godly Woman (and explains what she is like), but part of it says that she living by faith in GOD,
will "laugh at the days to come". Proverbs 31:25
I don't know how many times the LORD has asked me
"Why don't you just enjoy your life?"
-eric
