Know the Playbook

NFL football fans don’t need to know the playbook of the teams they follow, much less care.  But to the NFL player, the playbook is the most important part of his life. This book contains a set of codes and directions for each play, so that they know exactly what to do, where their position will be, and if executed right, how to make a successful play. It is their guide, it is their life.  

Although a professional football player may possess incredible athletic abilities, and may have played football all their lives, and even be an expert with last season’s playbook, if they don’t know this season’s playbook it won’t be long until they’re benched, or eventually cut.

God has a playbook.  God’s playbook will teach us what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  It will give us the confidence to face our opponent with an expectation of success and victory.

Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
(James 1:21)

God has not given us His word to just to reflect on, or worse yet to let sit on the shelf.  We are to know His word.  We are to live by His word.  God’s word should be as important to us as anything else.  Because once we get a hold of it, when it becomes “implanted” in our lives, it will give us strength to overcome the pull of sin, the uncertainty of not knowing what to do, and the attack of darkness.

But you will never know God’s playbook, much less what to do with it, until you know the One who wrote it.  Only God, the author himself, knows what His playbook says.  He gave the pages order and lovingly assigned each play.  He knows exactly what position suits you best and how to best use the skills he’s developing in you. 

Though time is getting short, there’s still time to learn the playbook.  Being a part of greatest winning season ever seen will be worth the work it takes.  The motivation of being a part of God’s great plans and strategies will make the bench and the grandstands seem like the last place on earth you’d want to be.