When The Game’s On The Line,

WHEN THE GAME’S ON THE LINE, winning teams have a knack for rising to the occasion. The Dallas Cowboys did just that in the 1996 National Football Conference championship.

Dallas, looking for its third Super Bowl appearance in four years, hosted the Green Bay Packers at Texas Stadium.

The Pack opened the scoring on a 46-yard field goal following a blocked punt. And after a back-and-forth first half, the Cowboys entered the second half ahead 24–17, thanks to a late 1-yard scoring plunge by Emmitt Smith.

The third quarter belonged to the Packers, however. A 37-yard field goal and a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brett Favre to Robert Brooks brought Green Bay a 27–24 edge.

In the fourth quarter, the home team called on its dependable tailback to carry the load. Smith capped a 90-yard drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. Less than two minutes later, Larry Brown put Dallas back on offense with a 28-yard interception and return.

Following a 36-yard pass to Michael Irvin, Smith scored his third touchdown on a 16-yard jaunt. The NFL’s leading rusher finished the day with 150 yards on 35 carries, and the Cowboys advanced to Super Bowl XXX with a 38–27 victory.

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POINT For many years, Emmitt Smith anchored the Dallas Cowboys’ offense. Teammates, coaches, and fans knew that as long as Emmitt could run, they had hope of winning any game.

Have you ever noticed how some Christians solidly anchor their lives to God? God strengthens those people and helps them become an anchor for others. They show consistent confidence. They never give up. They understand that the future remains secure and firm. Their hope is contagious.

That’s the way the writer of Hebrews encourages us all to be. Our secure hope of salvation and eternal life in Jesus should always be our anchor.

GOAL! Think about the purpose and importance of anchors. Write down some ideas below.