We All Need A Good Coach

One of Jay's favorite sayings when people deny their need for God (or deny needing help or coaching in any area) is: "Michael Jordan won 6 NBA championships and not one of them without coach Phil Jackson." Gotta love a Chicago Bulls fan! Sometimes we all want to believe we can do it ourselves . . . we don't need any guidance or help. Especially when things are going well. But the truth is, we all need a little help now and then. A good coach is there with objective advice, especially when we let our emotions (fear, lack of forgiveness, etc) overrule our judgment. So, whether it be wise words from a pastor on Sunday, from your parents, or even from your children (yes, my girls have given me back my own advice several times since becoming adults!), when given with love, we begin to see things differently. We see how a good coach gives a different perspective, one that didn't occur to us initially.  We all have one amazing Coach who will never retire or change teams . . . our Father in heaven. He blessed us with His Son, Jesus Christ, to show us the way back home to be with Him for eternity. It's all there in the Gospels . . . love, strength, forgiveness, and empathy. So basically, Jesus is our Phil Jackson. Our pastors the defensive coaches. Our church community the fans who want to see us succeed (how is that for a sports analogy?). Time to suit up, lay apostles, and believe the messages we have been given!

Todays Gospel (Mark 6:30-34) shows the love Our Coach has for each of us:

The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”  People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.

When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.

In Anne a lay apostle's book Climbing the Mountain, she brilliantly describes the role of our Coach and why we must listen to Him:

"We must accept that discouragement will come during our mountain climb. If we accept this, we will be less likely to throw up our hands in despair simply because we are a little tired, a little saddened, and a little misused by the world. Our Lord allows this discouragement much like a coach who is interested to see how a team performs under pressure. Also, given that our souls are carried in our bodies, which can be quite noisy in their complaining, we can expect to become discouraged at times. So how must the lay apostle conduct himself when he is discouraged? Calmly, my friends. Our discouragement does not change anything, least of all our duties. It is often tempting to remain in bed and let the day see to itself. The seasoned apostle rises, discouragement notwithstanding, pledges his allegiance to his God, prays the Morning Offering, steps into the day and begins to serve." 

Lay apostles, I am the first one to fight the temptation to ask for help. I never want to look like I don't know what I'm doing. But the thing is, sometimes I don't know what I'm doing, just winging it along the way. I'm quite sure I could have saved myself A LOT of pain and time if I would have just asked . . . and most importantly . . . listened! We have been blessed with the Volumes, filled with "directions" on how to live our lives for Christ. How about we all ask Him for help today regarding something we are just not sure about? He is waiting!

Thank you, Lord, for all the patience You have for me and my "I-can-do-it-myself" attitude. I couldn't have a better Coach!

God bless,
Bonnie