The Importance Of A Look Squad - The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge
The Importance of a Look Squad
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. Revelation 21:1-2
In practice each week, our team would run our plays against a “look squad.” That’s what we call our backup players who simulate the other team’s techniques as closely as possible. The simulation helps the first team’s players visualize how our plays will work against the other team’s. When we run a play and see it executed successfully in practice, we have the confidence to run it successfully during the game.
Visualization increases chances of success—not just in football but in any area of life. If we can’t see ourselves succeeding as workers, leaders, parents, or spouses, for example, we won’t have any confidence in those roles and be able to perform them well. But if we can see ourselves fulfilling our responsibilities effectively, achieving our goals, and relating to others healthily, we are much more likely to have the vision and the confidence to do those things. We tend to be able to accomplish what we can see.
God gives us a lot of pictures in the Bible—visions of who we are becoming and what His Kingdom is like. Today’s passage from Revelation is encouraging because it shows us our future with Him forever, as members of His family. If we can see our tomorrow and know how good it is, we can live in confidence today. We have courage to face anything when we know this is what awaits us on the other side of it.
Think of life as practice and the visions and instructions of Scripture as a “look squad.” Those words aren’t the full picture, because words can only tell us so much. The reality of the actual “game” will look a little different. But like the look squad during a week of practice, Scripture’s descriptions of the future give us and our families an idea of where we’re headed and what it will be like when we get there. We can know that God is standing there waiting for us with outstretched arms. And if we can “see” that future, we will have a much better idea of how to prepare for it, much more confidence as we move forward, and much more courage to handle anything today.
Uncommon Key > When you read God’s Word on a regular basis, you’ll discover what your future holds. Claim His promises and pay attention to His instructions. Seeing God in your tomorrow is the key to having confidence and courage today.
