God's Coaching #36

God's Coaching #36

From above it looked more like a military battle than a sporting event. With 600 combatants taking on 600 foes, it was a battle . . . and a game. It was dodgeball. On this day in 2010 at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, 1,200 students, faculty, and staff gathered for the world’s biggest dodgeball game. Dodgeball was popular at the college, and student groups thought it would be a fun way to bring the community together.

The game pitted Team Green against Team Gold—school colors. When the whistle blew, the bravest players ran full-speed ahead to grab the 400 squishy, red balls in the middle of the court. Other players hung back, just trying to dodge the round, red missiles. After hundreds of throws, catches, dodges, and misses, Matt Flemmer was the only Team Green player left. Then he was nailed, and Gold claimed victory. Everybody won, though. The game blew away San Diego State University’s old world record of 450 people.

What’s the Score?

The great thing about dodgeball is that anybody can play. You just have to avoid getting hit by one of those bouncy, red balls. If you’ve ever taken one to the face, you know you want to do whatever it takes to get out of the way.

In the Bible, the Israelites boasted that they had figured out how to make the ultimate dodge—avoiding death and destruction. But they were wrong. God’s response through Isaiah was that the only way to dodge death was through Jesus, the “precious cornerstone that is safe to build on” (Isaiah 28:16). He is the only foundation worth building our lives on. He is the only way we can dodge spiritual death and find eternal life with God that will never be shaken.

On the Ball

What are you trying to dodge in life? Write those things down on little pieces of paper. Then wad them into balls, and throw them across your room. Commit to building your life only on Jesus.

Coach’s Comment

You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat death and have made a deal to dodge the grave. The coming destruction can never touch us, for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.” Therefore, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.” Isaiah 28:15-16