When God Says Go…
If you can’t beat them, join them
is what the popular phrase suggests. I learned this very quickly many years ago when the Jensing began bringing home DVD’s with the then, up and coming, sport of mixed martial arts. Now, on any given Saturday night, it is pretty much a sure thing that we will be watching a UFC fight, where most of the top ranked fighters of the sport are featured. I have seen many great fighters throughout the years rise up, fall down, and retire; somewhat typical. But there is something about a fighter who comes to fight, When God Says Go!
Now, you may not be into this type of sport, but before you decide you can’t relate, let me remind you that at some point in life you either have or will be told by God to Go. Though your platform may be different, the performance expected form you will be the same; to push through, win, and cause an upset!
In the world of combat sports every once in a while we run into a fighter who is quickly categorized as invincible. They gain a certain status and are even considered Prodigies of the sport. These are few, but when one rises up all other contenders are usually defeated before they even face off with the champion. That is, unless they were told to Go.
Saturday night was a perfect example of stepping out on such a command. Holly Holm, the underdog and least expected to win because of her subdued approach to the fight, faced the reigning, undefeated champion Ronda Rousey. No one knew much about Holm and frankly no one cared much about inquiring, as before the fight even came to be she had already been labeled as defeated by many.
A turn of events did take place, and what a surprise it was!
Although Holm prepared for every possible strategy Rousey could have attempted, Holm’s win was not reliant on what Rousey would or would not do, instead Holly Holm concentrated on what she had control over; what she was going to do.
And there my friend lies the answer!
She went into the octagon with a plan and knowing it was her time. She carried out her plan, uninterrupted, and against all odds walked away with the title.
When God Says Go, He equips us with a plan and He sets up the moment. It is a plan for a sure win that supersedes any plan that we could have come up with on our own. When God says go, the timing is perfect and the moment is ripe.
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time – 1 Peter 5:6
At the end of the night, the call Holly Holm had been waiting for was made:
And New UFC bantamweight champion of the world
Some are calling it the biggest upset in UFC history. I call it, When God Says Go!
God exalts in due time. What call are you waiting to hear? And New…
Plan B was Always Plan A
Thirty eight years I lived in Miami. I must admit that when the opportunity to move presented itself, I was excited. A new place, new people, different weather; Texas was going to be a great home! The only thing standing between me and a new pair of cowgirl boots was The Jensing’s background screen. After 3 intense interviews, and a drug screen, all we were waiting for was for the background screening to clear for Plan A to be official.
One week passed, two weeks passed, and then a third and fourth week, and we were still in the waiting process. Meanwhile, the frustration level kept increasing. Just then we heard back, but not exactly from the company in Texas. Instead, a company that The Jensing had applied to 9 months earlier suddenly decided to call him in for an interview. The only problem was this job was in the wrong state; Florida…Tampa to be exact.
You see if I was going to make a move, I wanted it to be a BIG move…and you know what they say…
everything’s BIGGER in Texas
Needless to say, I was not happy about the call and was really hoping that this would lead to a dead end.
No sooner had he gone in for an interview, when he was called in for a second one. The drug screening and background results came back in no time and before we knew it, we were moving; just not to the right place. Plan B was in full effect!
None of it made sense to me at the time. Nine months earlier! Really?!
Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation? You put all your eggs in one basket (basket A), only to have them crushed!
This is what I call a hostile takeover by Plan B.
Recently, it has occurred to me that in situations like this Plan B was always Plan A. Let me explain.
Lets’ take Mary for example. Everyone is familiar with her; pure, virtuous, innocent. As great as all this sounds, I am sure that being the mother of the savior of this world was not Plan A for her. In fact what young girl ever dreams of becoming pregnant out of wedlock?
If Mary’s Plan A was anything like your typical young girl, she was probably in between getting fitted for her wedding dress and deciding between chicken or beef for the reception. When all of a sudden Plan B came knocking at the door. Talk about a hostile takeover! Mary had no say so in the situation.
If you have read the rest of the story then you know what happens next. If you haven’t then I warn you now *Spoiler Alert*!
She kicked?! She screamed?! She yelled?!
Actually, none of the above took place, instead she saw Plan B for what it really was; a Divine Interruption! It was her life lining up to the Word of God and that was enough for her.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, Be it unto me according to thy Word Luke 1:38
I wish I could say I have it all down packed like Mary did. I don’t.
We have been living in Tampa for 2 years now and today I can honestly say that as much as I thought Plan B was a hostile takeover, today I see it for what it really was; a Divine Interruption!
I pray you are in a place where it doesn’t take you 2 years to recognize the blessing in Plan B.
After all, Plan B was always Plan A!
What was Plan A for you and what Divine Interruption are you facing?
Advance to Go and Collect $200
Carefree; that’s the word that comes to mind when I try and sum up my attitude growing up. I am sure I am not alone in this. Walking around day to day not worried about a thing. Fully convinced that life was easy and that if a little hiccup happened to pop up, mom was going to take care of it. …And that is the way it usually was. Boy, there was nothing mom couldn’t solve!
Whether a last minute school project, or a 3:00am fever, mom would step out of the phone booth and with a faster resolve than superman she would make everything alright again. It was as if she had special powers; powers to make things better even when they appeared to be at their worst. It was a sure thing with mom. Nothing was left to chance.
I don’t recall exactly when it was that I realized mom couldn’t fix it all. Perhaps it was the time when I received unexpected dreadful news at the Doctor, or maybe it was the time when a storm came and destroyed our home. Some of us wake up to this reality sooner than others but no matter when that time comes, the sentiment is the same; vulnerability. It is as if though we are suddenly an open target to everything.
The orange deck of cards in the ever so popular Monopoly game known as the “Chance” cards remind me of what it’s like to live in this helpless state. Going back 3 spaces, paying poor tax, paying money on repairs for all property, and going straight to jail are just some of what may come up when you pick a Chance card; not exactly the most favorable moves on the board. In fact, some of these moves can break you to where you are no longer even in the game.
Sound familiar? A divorce, losing a job, losing a loved one, or even a foreclosure amongst many other things can leave us feeling like we are out of the game. This is life without hope.
You see, my mother represented hope for me even in the worst of circumstances. Though difficult times came as I was growing up, my faith in that she would come through for me was so big that it diminished the discomfort of the current situation. Difficult times are bound to come. Matthew 5:45 says
Rain will fall on the just and the unjust
It’s about who we have our hope on that makes the difference.
Today, as an adult I recognize the humanity of my mother, and have found a replacement for my hope. He comforts me, He keeps me in the game, and He fixes it all. He never fails, is always on time, and always makes things better. He promises me I don’t have to live by chance. And the best part of it all is He tells me to
Advance to Go and collect $200.
Who is your hope set on today?