GOING FOR THE REBOUND

Scripture: Luke 22: 31 – 32

One of the most important moves in the game of basketball is ‘going for the rebound’. Behind the basket into which your team is trying to score is a large board and often the ball will come back from that board if you miss a shot. A good player can anticipate this happening and quickly get into the right position to jump and catch the rebounding ball in order to have a second attempt to score. A similar thing happens in football. When a player takes a shot at goal and the keeper parries the ball a skilful player will be ready to follow up and score from the rebound. A missed opportunity is turned into a second chance for glory.

The same principle is so relevant in life. We all miss the mark at some time. We all make mistakes. We’ve blown it and let ourselves down or failed to live up to our promises. There are occasions when we know we said the wrong thing or made the wrong move. We can even feel we have made a complete mess of our lives. What is important is how well do we rebound when we miss our shots? How well do we come back from failure? How well do we follow up our mistakes with the right moves? Going for the rebound is so important if we are going to make it in life especially as a believer.

The greatest comeback of all was not by a boxer returning to the ring, but by Jesus Christ, God’s Son. He appeared to be down and out as His Life slipped away while He hung from the cross. For those who watched Him die His mission seemed to have ended in failure. As they buried Him in the tomb all their hopes were dashed. Death however, could not keep this good man down. Jesus bounced back, rising from the dead and He’s alive for evermore.

There are times in our lives when we feel we have made a mess of things, we have failed God, we have missed the mark and the enemy like He did with Peter wants to try and wipe us out. Peter as we know bounced back and was able to stand up on the day of Pentecost to proclaim the good news.

Jesus has given all of us who love Him, but have at some point blown it, the power to bounce back and go again for glory.

Pastor Mick