Power to Change » hockey

Grass Today, Gone Tomorrow

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 08:24:58 +0000

“All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.” 1 Peter 1:24a

Last night my favorite hockey team, the Vancouver Canucks, beat the Minnesota Wild 3-0, and one of their best players, Henrik Sedin, earned two more points to pull away from Claude Giroux of Philadelphia to top the total-points race. When your team is winning, it’s easy to bask in their accomplishments and take them on as your own. I do that.

And yet if you see who the scoring leaders are, some names are conspicuous by their absence. Among the top five skaters you won’t find Crosby or Ovechkin. Among the top goaltenders, no Luongo or Miller. Of course Crosby struggles with post-concussion issues, but the others are just not at the top of their game. They play well, but their current glory is faded.

When Peter said that all of us are like grass, and our glory but like flowers of the field, he was picking up on the prophet Isaiah’s wording to convey the idea that our lives, achievements, and head-turning performances may be amazing today, but gone tomorrow like sunflowers in August heat.

Peter goes on to finish his idea. He says …”the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” What is ‘the word of the Lord’? Again context helps. A bit earlier Peter wrote:

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” 1 Peter 1:19-21.

So the word of God is Jesus, and it’s through his death that God overcame sin and Satan and proved to everyone that he really is looking out for us. And so the glory belongs to God for what he has provided in Jesus’ redeeming death, rather than our efforts to be ‘good enough’ or to ‘measure up’ in God’s economy.

Sometimes I need to remind myself of that. Like elite athletes, my achievements are here for a season, but their ‘glory’ isn’t lasting. They may be a good sign that God is working in me and through me, but they are still just gold and silver which are not enduring. But thank God that Jesus’ achievement opens the door for us to know his salvation forever, like a flower that never fades.

Questions: Are you working diligently in this life to try to prove your ‘glory’ to God? What is keeping you from receiving and relaxing in the gift of God’s salvation through Jesus?

Make Your Life Count

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:59:52 +0000

Paul Henderson scored the winning goal against the USSR in the 1972 Summit Series which made him a hockey legend and a national hero. His life was full but he did not have Christ in his life. Paul was saved because one man took the time to share the Gospel with him. It changed his life and he has gone on to have an impact on thousands of lives. He has made his life truly count.

Take the next step:

Join the conversation with the following discussion questions:

The Ultimate Goal

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:16:47 +0000

Dan Hamhuis is a professional hockey player for the Vancouver Canucks. He has a platform where he can live out his Christian lifestyle. We can’t all be famous, but we do have the opportunity to model the Christian life to those around us. How does your life give you the opportunity to reach out to non-believers?

Join the conversation with the following discussion questions:

My Dream was Crushed

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 16:49:28 +0000

A career-ending sports injury can seem like the end of the world for many. But you have to choices when you are faced with these circumstances. You can see it as the end of your world and become bitter or your second choice can be see it as an opportunity for new things. Which would be your choice?

Canada’s Favourite Pastime

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 18:23:40 +0000

Hockey is our nation’s favorite pastime. For Barret seeing children come to know Christ through hockey gives him excitement, watching other catch the vision gives him passion. Have you caught the vision?

Related:
Want To Get Involved?

Desiring To Be More Like Jesus

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:29:48 +0000

When one of his players took a puck in the face, Paul Huggins was able to be there with the young player through the uncertainty and fear. The next season, this player, who had never before come to chapel meetings, not only came, but also brought two other players along. They asked to meet regularly, get a Bible and learn more about Jesus. What impact does your life have?

Related:
Want To Get Involved?

Faith Through Illness

Tue, 31 May 2011 21:19:49 +0000

Andrew, a top draft pick for the NHL was just about to get everything he even wanted when a bad case of frost bite literally stopped him in his tracks. Flown to the hospital he was told on arrival that he had a 50/50 chance of losing his toes which would end his hockey career. What do you do when your world gets flipped upside down?

Related:
Bad Things, Good People

Sharing Your Story Online

Tue, 31 May 2011 14:55:58 +0000

When Trevor filmed his testimony nobody expected his hockey teammate to finally understand what Trevor had been trying to share with him for years. Video is an incredibly powerful medium. Could your story be on film?

Related:
Jamie works with a team called Campus For Christ.

God on a Hockey Rink

Fri, 27 May 2011 17:40:02 +0000

Can God be found on an ice rink? When you have a group of elite hockey professionals ready to share their stories He can. With Athletes in Action’s inaugural hockey camp, top skilled professionals will share their faith and talents with a group of young athletes.

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Athletes in Action can give you the opportunity to work with athletes on their playing field.

Get Out of your Comfort Zone!

Mon, 09 May 2011 17:34:48 +0000

Jesus never called anyone to a life of complacent, comfortable faith!

In this video Paul Henderson, Canadian hockey legend, tells one story of how he has been able to minister in twenty different countries through sports-related ministry.

If you are an athlete, take a step out of your comfort zone and start a faith adventure with Athletes in Action!