Hello,
I went to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp on
Friday. A friend from Sioux Falls
who grew up in this area had come to visit, and just by chance his visit
coincided with the Steelers’ training camp that they conduct in Latrobe, a town
just over the ridge from me.
It so happened that Friday was a unique day on their
training camp schedule as the practice was to take place at night in the local
high school stadium. Usually the
practices are held at the local college, St. Vincent’s, and usually they take
place in the afternoon….in the blazing sun. Not knowing how packed the house would be, we arrived
shortly after the gates opened at 5:00, found ourselves prime seats where we
could lean back against the stadium wall, and enjoy the nice evening weather,
the country-rock band and Steeler drum line, and watch the variety of people
fill the stands, almost all of them decked out in gold and black.
At about 6:45 a police car blazing its red and blue lights
came into view, and behind it a line of busses resembling a circus line of
elephants marching with trunks clasping tails. The first bus was the Mr. Rogers Trolley (Mr. Rogers was
born in Latrobe…as was Arnold Palmer…but he doesn’t have a trolley or bus) and in it rode the coaching
staff. Following it were 6 yellow
school busses carrying the players.
The crowd broke into cheers as the players entered the field carrying
their shoulder pads through the tunnel of Latrobe High School Cheerleaders
dressed in Steeler colors. True
Steeler fans were listing off the players as they watched them walk onto the
field, but me….the only Steeler I know by face is Ben Roethlisberger….and apparently
for dramatic flair he strode onto the field last.
Practice began with gentle warm ups and stretching, but soon
it elevated into some serious hitting and thrashing as the time came to
commence the challenge to make the team.
Over the next several weeks the hundred or so guys that were out there
would be whittled down to less than 50.
So with lifelong dreams treasured in their hearts, these muscular
monsters started to throw their weight around. Crashing into one another trying to keep from being the one
finding himself belly up on the ground.
Coaches yelling. Shoulder
pads crunching. Muscles being
pummeled and bruised. Its hard work,
and only the best will make it….everyone else gets cut.
It seems to me that the Christian life is often portrayed as
akin to a football training camp.
Many speak of the Christian life as if it was meant to be years and
years of being thrashed around, withstanding the ramrod of temptation, enduring
the tirades of God’s anger, and hoping not to be the one found belly up and cut
from the team.
I know that a lot of people say that that is what the
Christian life is meant to be, but I don’t think so. Sure the Christian life is full of bangs and bruises, hungry
tempters, and the harsh voice of guilt and shame shouting at you from the world
when you fail. But it is not a
training camp in which you are working to prove yourself worthy of making the
team…why?....Because you are already on the team! “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be
called Children of God, and that is what we are.” (1 John 3:1) When Jesus stood
toe to toe on the cross in a battle to the death with every evil that might try
to claim us for its team, he slammed every one of them to the ground, leaving
them breathless and belly up, and he gathered us onto his team….on his team not
because of our strength and might to endure a training camp, but because of the
strength and might of his love that will not let anything or anyone separate us
from him. (Romans 8)
The Christian life, then, is a life that is shaped and
molded by the one who has put us on his team. Sharing with us his love so that we might love
likewise. Nourishing us with his
grace so that we might grace-fully stride in the world. Coming to us when we have been knocked
down and picking us up, healing our bruises and saying, “Let’s try that one
again.”
The Christian life is not a religious training camp where
heaven’s jersey hangs in balance.
No, it is a life of living in the Kingdom of Heaven, clothed and gowned
in grace and mercy of God where the game never ends and the victory has already
been won. The Christian life is
not a training camp where one fights to get or keep their place on the
team…..no, the Christian life is game day every day filled with the hope of the
victory that has already been won and the thrill of carrying that victory into
the world so the whole world may live in that unshakable hope.
Hut! Hut! Hike! That’s the Christian life.
Have a great week.
God’s grace and peace, (ggap)
Pastor Jerry Nuernberger
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