He's cheering for me!

Did you ever play on a sports team as a kid?  

I remember the days, many years ago, when I stood in outfield looking for my parent's smiling faces in the bleachers while ignoring the game on the field.  I wanted to make sure they saw me.  I longed for someone who was there to watch me!  I wanted someone who was cheering me on, rooting for me.  We all want that.

Here in Texas we have Texas A&M University, a school that considers the fans in the crowd the "12th man" on the field.  Having someone on your side, someone cheering for you is often more important that ability on the field.

It was sure something I wanted as a kid....just to know my parents were there, that they were watching, cheering ME on...even though I rarely played more than a few moments.

This morning I read a passage in Psalms that brought those pictures flooding into my mind again...the thoughts of someone cheering me on, cheering for me.  Here are just two short verses that honestly I had never seen before...how does that keep happening?

"The LORD is for me; I will not fear; 

What can man do to me? 

The LORD is for me among those who help me;" 

Psalm 118:6-7

As I read those verses the image of God, my creator, in my bleachers cheering me on to success, wearing my team shirt, wearing my hat...with my number on his shirt...gave me the picture I think the author was trying to communicate to the reader.  God is cheering for me!  He's cheering for you!

He is interested in our success, our victory.  He doesn't want any to fail, for anyone to lose, he made us and his great desire is that we do well in this game of life, that we look into the bleachers and see him there, smiling, watching, cheering us on.  He wants us to win!

The Lord is for me.  Take a moment and think about that.  How does that change your view of yourself and your life?  What would be different if you really believed that?  Do you realize how profound that is?

So many have a picture of God as a cruel old man with a white beard just waiting to punish us, but how our lives would change if we saw him as the Father he really is sitting in the bleachers, wearing my team shirt, cheering me on to victory.  

The Lord is for me.  He's for you.  He want us to know him as Father, to know the life he gives through Christ and to realize he is on our side!  God is cheering for you!  Don't be afraid.  What can man do when God is on your side?

In fact, you may not know it, but he's planned to eternally celebrate the victory you will have from knowing him and trusting him in the days ahead.  

The God who made you is for you!  Have a great day.