Today's Devotional

April 29, 2002

Subject:  Remind Me

Lamentations 3:21 - "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope."

I remember clearly that summer of 1980.  I had worked hard all Spring preparing for football camp.  A young man from a small-time school was attempting to make the big-time by playing college football in the "big leagues."  I was a "walk-on" who had been invited to camp to try-out for a scholarship.  That was the same summer that Texas had one of its great heat waves.  However, I would not be deterred from my mission.  As I sweated in the 100+ degree temperatures, I reported to camp that August in the greatest shape of my life.  After only two weeks of practice, the coaches were impressed.  The head coach called me in one Saturday morning and told me that I needed to call my mom and tell her that I was now an athlete on full scholarship.  To me that was huge and I was sure that it would be to my mom also.  Surely free college was a reason for any parent to rejoice.  I called my mom, and to this day, her calm, resolute show of grace still astounds me.  It was as though she expected this all the time.  In fact, she had been and was not surprised by what God had clearly done. 

Later, she pointed out how the coach, in a newspaper article, said he couldn't really say why I got the much coveted scholarship.  He said it was the "intangibles."  My mom knew though.  This was one of many episodes that I could give about the faith of my mom and perhaps there are episodes that you can recall of a mother or father's faith and trust in God.  The examples they set for us can often stir us to a higher level of hope and trust in God. 

I often recall my mom's hope and it frequently gives me renewed insight into believing God.  The challenge today is to recall those moves of God that you've seen in your life and remember the God who produced those dramatic results is present today to move you to the next level.  

Carlen