Facing Your Giants

Dear Worshipers,

I did something unusual today. I took a personal day on a Tuesday. The kids had the day off school and a few other factors influenced me to make that decision last night. We try to make unusual days like that special for our boys and so today we decided to go see a movie we have wanted to see. After seeing it I am about to do something else that is a little unusual. I want to recommend that you go see this movie.

The movie we saw was “Facing the Giants”. It tells the story of a frustrated high school football coach who finds inspiration by turning to his faith. More than “a simple David-and-Goliath metaphor on the gridiron. This film tells the story of faith in the face of long odds and the need to align our priorities with God's.” [From a review on the Focus on the Family web site just Ctrl-click Plugged In Review ] And I am not talking about the unusual Christ-absent God references we see in some movies. Christ is at the core of this one, including a revival and at least one youth giving his life to Christ and being radically transformed. And yes, this is playing at the movie theater. Carmike at the Mall to be more

This film was touching on many levels. The coach read his Bible and prayed. His wife got down on her knees and prayed. They prayed to God at other times. There was talk of God working and changing lives. It was amazing to see all this stuff that we believes happens and makes a difference in our lives portrayed in a movie. It was awesome. You will be inspired.

That is really why I am writing. Not to advocate enjoying a good use of the arts to see God reveal Himself, although that is a good thing. Not to give you a good option for entertaining your family this week (if it is still here), that that is a good thing also. I am writing to inspire you. That is why I bother to take the time.

I was inspired in watching this film. I trust you will be as well. But even if you do not go, here these words from the coach, "Our goal is not to win games; it's to honor God." Insert whatever consumes a fair amount of your life instead of “to win games”. Our goal in all that we do is to honor God. That is one of the ways we might define worship, and particularly a lifestyle of worship, “Our goal (in everything we do) is to honor God.”

We all face giants. Not 9-foot-tall spear-toting ones, or undefeated football teams by the same name, but something else. What is that thing that causes fear to well up in the pit of your stomach? God wants to help you face that “giant” and bring honor to His name in the process.

Face your giants today. Be inspired by the presence of your Extraordinary God at work in your ordinary life. Honor Him by giving Him praise, whether you win or loose.


In Christ,

Pastor Scott