“Wow!  He’s incredible!  He’s amazing!  This is a going to be our year!  I’m so glad he’s on our team!”

That is what I’ve found myself thinking and saying ever since Sunday afternoon.  What happened on Sunday afternoon?  For those who don’t know, this past weekend was the one that I – and men like me all over the country – have had circled on our calendars since early February.  It was the weekend that wives from coast to coast (including the one in my house) have been dreading and hoping to avoid.  Oh yes, boys and girls, it’s that time of year…

FOOTBALL IS BACK!!! 

How could I blog about anything else this week?  Football and Sundays go together like peanut butter and jelly, and now that football is back, order is restored to the universe and my life.

And this season is an especially exciting one for me and other DC area residents.  This past Sunday, with the start of the new season, we officially ushered in a new era of Redskins football…THE RGIII ERA!  And those who witnessed the action on Sunday know that we got the party started with a bang – as the Skins beat the pants off of one of the best teams in the league (sorry Saints’ fans) and look like a real contender this year for the first time in a long time.

Yeah yeah yeah, I know, I know, I know.  All the Redskins detractors out there are going to be quick to point out that I say the same thing every year (which I do, but that’s the beauty of sports – always a fresh start and fresh hope every year), but trust me, this year REALLY is different.

Why?  One person.  One person makes all the difference. 

His name is Robert Griffin III (aka RGIII).  He is a rookie quarterback from Baylor University and he is the sole reason why Redskins nation has hope today.  It’s because of him – and pretty much him alone – that today is a new day in Washington DC and Redskins fans can now dream of a brighter future.

One guy?  Can one guy really make such a difference?  Yes – when his name is RGIII, the answer is an overwhelming yes.  He is something special and I am thankful he is on our team.

Now for the spiritual tie in.

This morning I was reading my Bible and I read one of my favorite passages from Mark 4:35-41.  It was the story of when Jesus was in a boat with His disciples and a great windstorm arose while they were out at sea.  The Bible says that “the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling” and another account says that the boat was being “tossed by the waves.”

Boat filling?  Tossed by waves?  Are you kidding me?  Can you imagine how scary that must have been?  Remember, this predates life jackets and flare guns and coast guards.  If you fall in this water, that’s it – you’re done for.  You can’t just pick up your cell phone and call for help.  If your boat fills with water, say goodbye.

And to top it all off, where was Jesus?

“But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.”

I beg your pardon?  What’s that?  Asleep on a pillow?  Excuse me?  We’re here being tossed by the waves and the boat is filling with water and you’re doing what Jesus?  SLEEPING ON A PILLOW!!!!

Next verse: “And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

You’re darn right we’re gonna wake Him up.  He’s supposed to be the Son of God.  DO SOMETHING!!!!

Next verse:  “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

Great calm.  That is what the Bible says happened next.  It went from great turmoil/anxiety to great calm in a matter of seconds.  What happened?  What made the difference?

ONE MAN.  JESUS.  That’s it.  One person made all that difference.  If I’m in the position of the disciples right now, I’d be thinking one thing:  THANK GOD HE’S IN OUR BOAT AND HE’S ON OUR SIDE!

What a feeling to know that God, the Creator of the universe, the Almighty, the All-Knowing and Ever Existent God is in my boat…on my team…He’s on my side!  What could be better?

King David said it like this:  “When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me.”  Psalm 56:9

As the expression goes, “it’s good to have friends in high places.”  God is the ultimate Friend in high places.  And the Bible assures me that as long as I cry out to Him, my enemies will turn back.  How do I know this for sure?  This I know, because GOD IS FOR ME!

Life nowadays isn’t like before.  It’s never settled or calm; every day seems to bring more uncertainty and more craziness than the one before.  Where to turn in that situation?  Where to turn for help?  Look to your teammate – look to Jesus.  He’s on our side and He is here to help us.

Have you learned to cry out to God when life is overwhelming?  Have you learned to call out His Name when you are lost or confused?  Have you learned to turn to Him before turning to anyone or anything else in this crazy world that we live in?

I am thankful that, in the midst of this crazy world, God is the one constant.  He never changes and He never loses.  He always wins.  Remember that you have a Friend in high places.  And, as St. Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31.

For discussion:  when are you most aware/thankful that Jesus is on your side?