Being the Underdog

Daily Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 17-20
Focal Passage: Deuteronomy 20:1

Several nights ago I attended a first round NIT basketball game between Arizona State University and Jacksonville University. I checked the statistics on both teams, and noticed that ASU seemed to be the dominant team in every single category. I watched both teams warm up before the game and it appeared as though ASU had more height and certainly more talent as regard to percentage of shots made. All of that said, the first half played out and ASU had a very small lead. Throughout the game, I noticed the underdog Jacksonsville Dolphins did not consider themselves as underdogs and their confidence grew with every minute that ticked by. You probably read about or saw the highlights on ESPN as to how the game ended. Jacksonville's point guard hit a game winning 3-pointer with a couple of seconds left in the game. The Dolphins had many things stacked against them, but still won the game. What did they have stacked against them? They had to travel across the country and play in a hostile environment. They had huge height disadvantages. They were playing what appeared to be a superior opponent. However, someone forgot to tell the JU players these "facts."

In Deuteronomy 20:1 God tells His people that when they face armies that are much larger than them, and have superior weapons, they are not to be afraid. The reason for having no fear is the "Lord your God" is with you. This is the same God who brought His people out of Egypt, He took them from being slaves to being free and destroying an Egyptian army while the superior army pursued God's people. In our world today it may appear as though God is far away. We see evil and the results of sin everyday and how it creeps into our homes, our schools, our governments, our workplaces and yes, even our churches. Believers in Christ can feel as though they are losing ground and can also feel inferior to the worldly influences.

However, take heart, God is with us! Romans 8:31: "If God is for us, who is against us?" In some ways, on some days, it may appear that God's team is losing or at best at a huge disadvantage, but just like the JU Dolphins, the only thing that matters is what God's team believes about themselves, and Scripture tells us that we are the winners! Scripture doesn't tell us we will someday win, but the Bible tells us we have already won! I John 5:4: "This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith." Take heart today from God's Word, you may feel like an underdog, but you deserve and should know and claim God's victory!

I forgot to mention that as soon as that shot went in to win the game for JU their entire team rushed the court in celebration. That's what we should do as God's team, celebrate the fact that we belong to a winning team, and the fact that our victory comes by way of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! Thank you God for your great victory we have in Christ!