Basketball - I lost the touch!

 I've always loved shooting hoops! Taking it to the rack. Basketball.  Back in the day...

I spent countless hours raining basketballs on the backboard my dad hoisted above our old garage. Not too far from the basket, our driveway quickly narrowed to the right of center. There was also a telephone wire crossing right through our jump-shot range. My friends and I developed clever dribbling skills to dodge an unforgiving concrete wall where the pavement slanted. We honed long-range "rainbow" shots to literally arc over the telephone wire. Today they'd be in the 3-point range. Both skills kept me competitive in pick-up and league games from grade school through university. Win or lose, I loved playing basketball!

My 5' 2" daughter wisely chose diving as her go-to sport, so I drifted away from competitive, run-and-gun hoops. I also saw other dad's and co-workers limping around with injured knees and ankles. No thanks! I officially retired myself to nothing but "shoot arounds," just as I had enjoyed back in the day.

Fast forward 20 years and there I was again - looking out on a well trod, slightly uneven, wooden court. A co-worker had been coaxing me to his church gym for the Saturday morning pick up game. "Just a bunch of guys having low key fun," he assured me.  Telling myself it was a good way to fellowship with other church guys and youth, I finally agreed. 

It was a friendly game as promised, maybe a little more up tempo than I expected. Soon I had my first open shot. Standing below the board, I called out and got the pass. I easily caught the ball and flipped it up for the sure two points. A simple bank shot I have literally made thousands of times in my life. 

Clunk! The ball fell short, hit the rim and bounced back out into play. How in the world? A few plays later I stole the ball and had nothing but a clear court of clever dribbling ahead of me. Racing down for an easy layup I clumsily lost track of the ball. My legs weren't doing what I told them to and I nearly stumbled to the floor. A defender snatched the ball back and the game continued.

Sometime later I rediscovered my rainbow, over-the-wire-shot and managed to redeem some of my earlier - very embarrassing - mistakes. But I would never have guessed it was possible to lose those simple skills. Things I took for granted. Muscle memory, accuracy, coordination. No practice, no payoff.

We are stumbling down the uneven court of a Godless society. God is asking each of us to get back in the game. (that's the voice inside you saying, 'we have to do something about this, for my kids, my grandkids, and everyone else we know!') Have you kept up the skills to share Gods love?

Someone might say, "Yeah, we used to pass out Gospel tracts with our youth group, I knew the 4 spiritual laws by heart." Sure, and I never missed a layup before in my life. I'm using this illustration to encourage each of us to know why we love Jesus. Why God loves us. Know it well enough to "catch the ball," when God passes along someone seeking his mercy and Grace. And He will - or He already has. Take it to the hoop.

It's wonderful to say that you are simply going to love people and winsomely shine the Light of Jesus in everyday life. Be ready for what comes next. To connect the dots of mercy, forgiveness, redemption, Grace and eternity...with Jesus. Don't throw clunkers up agains the rim. Do some reading (muscle memory). Practice with family (no practice, no payoff). Get back to a bible study. Recover some of your best spiritual strengths that have laid dormant since youth group 20 years ago. 

Isaiah 40:29
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength."

What do you believe?

 .