the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
Tonight my beloved Ohio State University Buckeyes will play in San Antonio, Texas for the right to call themselves the Alamo Bowl Champions. A few days from now the University of Southern California Trojans will play the Oklahoma University Sooners in a bowl game for the right to call themselves National Champions. I guess I miss the Buckeyes' 2002 season when they were the Champions.
I remember when I would pull for the Buckeyes to be able to play in the granddaddy of all bowl games, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. That used to be where the champions of the PAC 12 and the Big Ten squared off against each other before the Bowl Championship Series changed everything. There were several times that the Buckeyes went out there with National Championship hopes.
One such trip was January 1, 1969. They had just finished their season having beaten teams they weren't supposed to beat and now they were heading out west to play against the Heisman Trophy winner Orenthal James Simpson. He was better known as O. J. Simpson won the award while finishing his career at the University of Southern California. They were heavily favored to win the game.
By the end of the second half the Buckeyes had taken over the game to the point that Simpson was a non-issue. Those who watched saw a cautious O. J. carrying the ball in the second half. Ohio State won the game and the National Championship. That was the last time they had been champs until 2002. Hope we don't have to wait another thirty-four years for a championship. Right now I have my memories.
That's what frustrating. All I have is memories and no way to affect the outcome. People sit back and play remember when with the church. Sad thing is, they weren't the reason the church grew before and they have no intent of being the reason the church will grow in the future. But they remember and talk about it and wish for it to return.
Churches grow and become soul-winning churches by intent as they follow Jesus' directive. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19 Do you believe that? Do you know that to be true? Then now you have a problem. "To him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:17 God intends us to win consistently and to look forward rather than backward.
'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' Copyright 2010 © Tom Kelley. 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) A proper credit must be given to the author at the end of each story, along with their complete bio and a link to https://www.studylight.org/ 2) 'Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life' content may not be arranged or "mirrored" as a competitive online service.
