I have been thinking about something this morning that I find interesting….
“Why do we watch re-runs of any given sports game?”
We already know….
how each point was scored……
every injury that was incurred……
every fight that was waged……….
if any play was questioned……….
who made errors………..and most importantly…..
We know the final score!!! Seriously, we know who won. Yet we watch anyway. Nothing will be any different. Nothing will change. But we watch. We even offer commentary. Yet something is different during the repeat, during the re-run – the tension, the pressure, the anxiety, the worry, the stress, the concern – all the negative emotions are not present. We watch with a certainty, with a confidence of the outcome.
Paul, in his letter to the Romans, tells us to live very much in this same manner.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Romans 8:35-36 NIV).
Each of these things that were facing the early believers were difficult, stressful, & life threatening. Life can be that way at times for us as well. Paul goes on to tell us that we can rest, confidently & assured, in this one truth:
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”        (verse 37).
Paul is telling us that we can know the outcome. Somehow, in the end, we will be the victors. Other versions, of that same verse, put it this way:
- “overwhelming victory is ours…” (NLT)
- “we have complete victory….” (NET)
- “we are completely victorious…” (NCV)
- “we overwhelmingly conquer…” (NASB)
- “we have won more than a victory….” (CEV)
- “we are more than conquerors and gain a surpassing victory…” (AMP)
Remember I stated that we watch the repeat devoid of the tension & stress? The Message pretty much words it that same way. It tells us that no matter what we go through in life…
                         “None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us.”Â
