Remember the Titans!

I don't know why football seems to be such a theme in my daily devotions lately...HELLO, I'm a girl...I didn't even play football. That being said...I love the sport. I love it! I love Monday Night Football. I love Thursday Night Football, Saturday College Ball and we LIVE for Sundays for football. Since my husband is crazier than I am for the game we are perfectly matched.

We LOVE football movies - Radio, Rudy, Facing the Giants, We Are Marshall, Varsity Blues...waaay back to The Longest Yard and All the Right Moves. One of my particular favorites is Remember the Titans. Ever seen this movie? The passion for being the best in football, in life, in relationships is shown so well...alongside the challenge of racial integration in Alexandria,Virginia. The white coach is put aside as head coach for the black coach. The players have to combine white and black in the turbulent South. The team heads off to football camp and since they are away from family and town folk influence really begin to bond as teammates and friends. Once they are again immersed back into the reality of living in their hometown - the rivalry and prejudice starts again. The story has a bittersweet and happy ending though - the team becomes a true team that supports and builds each other up. The two coaches become friends and gain enormous respect for one another. The town realizes that the old attitudes are going to have to change and begins to support the black coach.

What on earth does that have to teach you might ask? Well I realized that as a Christian, I have that same struggle every day. Old vs. New. Sin vs. New Heart. I made a decision to put aside Coach Self for Coach Christ. Now, Coach Self really doesn't like that much. Coach Self thinks that she knows it all. I've gone away to camp - ladies retreats and really felt my old and new self were getting along and becoming a team. It was exciting to deeply "feel" the Holy Spirit take hold and coach my heart team. I didn't have the outside pressures of the world pressing in. BUT - All retreats come to an end and I have to come back to the real world every time where the enemy would use the town folk - prejudice, self doubt, replaying of sins that were already forgiven - to tear me down and to cause my team to fall apart.

Now I am not saying that Coach Christ and Coach Self are going to go out and become best friends and share equal credit for my eternal salvation - THAT'S ALL CHRIST'S GRACE AND MERCY but Coach Self is learning that Coach Christ has great plays for my life. He's got a plan and it's a good one. Coach Self has respect for Coach Christ and is realizing that it's best for her to take a backseat to Coach Christ. I'm going to have a happy ending because I am saved by the blood and will go to Heaven. It's just reassuring to me to know that Coach Christ recognizes that though Coach Self has brought me a lot of grief...she's still part of my nature. Coach Christ doesn't expect perfection from me. I am perfected because of HIM. Perfected. I'm not perfect but I am made perfect because He died for my imperfections. One day, Coach Christ will have me come to the Hall of Fame and I hope He'll say..."Well done good and faithful servant." - not because I overcame the world but because I continued to strive to be like my Coach Christ while in the world.