Victory Out of Loss...

Please indulge me. It is still college football season. Several weeks ago, I was at the USC/Stanford football game at the Coliseum with my 8-year-old boy. We witnessed a football game for the ages – a triple overtime epic. Unfortunately the Trojans lost. When the game ended, there was a stunned silence in the crowd. Yet, after the initial shock that the game ended, the crowd applauded both teams, particularly the Trojans. Even at that moment, dialogue began and perspective gained concerning the remarkable game we had all just witnessed. The decided underdog Men of Troy stood toe to toe with the 4th ranked Stanford Cardinal, exchanging blows and giving them more than they possibly bargained for. I have attended approximately 220 USC football games over the course of 40 seasons. For the first time, I felt like a loss was a victory…almost. Isn’t this precisely what occurred in infinitely greater measure 2,000 years ago on the cross? Those intent on Jesus’ demise believed that they had the victory with his death. Little did they know that theirs was not a victory at all.  Out of an apparent loss handed to Jesus and his disciples, a victory would be gained. On the third day, Jesus was raised.
1 Corinthians 15:54-55 reminds us: “Death has been swallowed in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
God has an amazing way of creating victory out of apparent loss.
Trust that he will do so in your life.
Keep the faith,
Pastor Tony