I'm No Sampras

I've never been a sportsminded individual, back in the Philippines I would go swimming regularly at the subdivision clubhouse as my form of excercise, I also went fishing with my friends every so often. I guess these were the closest to sports that I have ever involved myself with. Several months ago during our Men's Fellowship I was taught how to play tennis by such gentle teachers and brothers in Christ who patiently showed me the steps on how to play the game. Their names are Glenn and Albert, they both switched places in patiently teaching me the moves but I SUCKED big time, I am even too embarassed to share exactly how I played. One thing I learned from the both of them though was that I should keep my eyes always towards the direction of the ball. When I returned home after my otherwise humiliating first tennis game my wife asked me how it went and she became very intersted in learning how to play tennis. I spoke to Glenn about it and he and his wife were only too gracious enough to accomodate us within their very hectic schedule. It was a Tuesday morning when we met for our tennis clinic under Glenn's tutelage and much to my surprise when he started serving the balls I would hit them with much dexterity as opposed to the first time I played the game. My eyes stayed focused on the ball and I enjoyed the game immensely. Glenn's style of teaching/coaching reminded me so much of how God works in our lives, I am reminded for example of the time He called Moses and Moses kept on insisting that he felt a certain amount of inadequacy to perform the task that God had commanded him to do. Gradually though Moses developed the adequacy to perform what God wanted him to do and then some. It takes baby steps for us to see the changes in our lives after recieving Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior, many times we fall and feel so dejected for failing Him but He has never treated us with disdain on the contrary He lifts us up but not without a reminder or two that continued disobedience can have its consequences. Then we move on and learn from our failures. Following God's call and walking daily with Him reminds me of how Glenn and Albert so patiently taught me how to play the game of tennis. Keeping our eyes focused on God the way I kept my eyes focused on the ball can result into a successful game in this huge tennis court called LIFE.

Jeremiah 18:1-10