Down But Not Out

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach at my church. This week's article is a condensed version of that sermon. You can watch the whole sermon HERE.

Also, I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.

Growing up, my family went to North Carolina Tar Heels football games. Amidst the sights, sounds, and memories one particular memory stands out. One of my mother.

She was the reason we were even there. She was an alumnus of UNC and an avid fan in her own right. One thing she used to always tell us was that we should never leave a game early. Because of that advice, we sat through some really tough losses. But, we also sat through some amazing comeback wins.

Her whole point was that the game wasn't over and you never knew what could happen.

A few weeks ago, UNC played Wake Forest University (my grad school alma mater). Going into the 4th quarter, UNC was down by 14 points. By the end of the game UNC had completed a comeback win 59-53. They overcame that 14 point deficit and had actually scored 35 unanswered points throughout the game as they were making that comeback.

Even though UNC seemed to be down, they were not out.

In Micah 7:8a, we read “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise.”

During the time of the prophet Micah, the Assyrian Empire was advancing across the Middle East. The northern kingdom of Israel had recently been defeated and many of the people taken into captivity. The southern kingdom of Judah had survived but was reeling.

Micah, who had seen the ups and downs of Israel throughout the reign of three kings, reminded the people that God will deliver them from this season of turmoil.

Recently, many people have been feeling optimistic about the announcement from several companies that production of COVID-19 vaccines are progressing quite well and would be ready for distribution soon.

The problem is that COVID numbers spiked again and many cities and states across the country tightened restrictions about masks and in-person gatherings. Right before Thanksgiving.

When something like this happens, it may seem hard to be thankful.

This Thanksgiving season, I implore you to look around and see what God has done in your life. Trust me, God is still doing some great things.

Remember, the Word of God says “though I have fallen, I will rise.”

Like my mother said, “the game isn't over yet.”

You may be frustrated. You may be disappointed. You may be down, BUT you are not out.

God is going to deliver us through this crazy time. God is good all the time. And all the time God is good. I encourage you to take notice of His goodness. Remember He loves you so much He created the way for you to be with Him forever in a place free from sickness, pain, and sadness.

He is how we will rise.

Remember many people thought Jesus was down after He died on the cross and was laid in a tomb. His followers thought everything was lost. The Jewish leaders thought they had squashed a rebel. The Romans thought they had resolved a potential problem.

But, three days later, Jesus ROSE.

He got up and walked out of the tomb. Defeating death. Defeating sin. And defeating Satan himself. Jesus was down, but He was not out.

When you are in Christ, there are times when you may be down, but you are not out.

Anyway, I was just thinking...

P.S. Let me know what God has done/is doing for you right now and that you are thankful for. Leave a comment below.