Friday, June 6, 2008

Hockey and Heaven


"My" Detroit Red Wings just won the National Hockey League Championship! (Real fans always take ownership of their chosen teams!) I am a big sports "nut". I love the the drama that plays out in heated competition and it doesn't get any better than in playoff hockey!
A hockey team, probably more than in any other sport, reflects family. They refuse to let anyone pick on another team member, they refuse to sit on the bench with some litttle pain and allow another team to have an advantage, they just seem to reflect the old "all for one and one for all" thing. They pull together, each filling their own role, for 60 minutes of controlled chaos.
The ultimate goal is that, after about 100 games, they win the Play Offs and hoist the Stanley Cup high in the air for a victorious skate around the arena.
I also noticed that "everyone" got to take a lap with "the" cup! It didn't matter whether they played or not, they were counted as a part of the team.
Sounds a little bit like the way it should be in our biological family and our church family. We should always stand up for each other, refuse to let the little hurts sideline us, and understand that only as we work together as a team will we be successful.
One last thing. In order to win the Stanley Cup you must first win your Conference title. In hockey you will not even touch the trophy that goes with that hard fought victory. Why? That is not your goal. Your goal is nothing less than the Stanley Cup!
For the Christ follower we trust there will be numerous victories along the way but we must never allow them to detour us from our ultimate goal, our final victory, when we conquer the last great opponent, Death, and reach the pinnacle of our life's Play Offs. Yes, someday this controlled chaos that we call life will hear the final horn and we, who have "toughed it out" will be the final victors.
I want to be able to hoist the emblem of His cross high above my head, take a skate around the ice, and end up in Heaven! Remember, THE BEST IS YET TO COME!

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