Game. But Is It Over?

In Mark chapter 5, he tells of the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She had been experiencing failure after failure after failure for twelve years. So much so, the doctors she had gone to took all her money and her ailment only got worse. But her perseverance and faith encouraged her to reach out to Jesus. Hold that thought.

Ok...back to football.

Dallas was down, 24-16, with 3:45 showing on the clock. I mentioned Tony Romo earlier, because, he came into the NFL with little to no fanfare. Undrafted, or as many may say, counted out, but never wavering in himself or his abilities despite the many turnovers he accounted for, Tony did some good things for the Cowboys. But he could NOT do this alone. He needed his teammates. 

He led them on a touchdown drive, a pass to Patrick Crayton, with about twenty-four seconds remaining on the clock. They went for two, but the pass was broken up.

Dallas, still losing, not only needed a break, but ultimately they needed the football back. As they lined up to kick-off, they moved into their onside kick formation, Nick Folk kicked off, bounding the ball into the turf. As the ball bounced high, you could see Cowboys players colliding with Bills players, in an effort to pave the way for a recovery. The ball deflected off of a Cowboys player and then proceeded to bounce forward, into Bills territory, and finally recovery by Dallas' 3rd string tight end, Tony Curtis.

Pause.

Mark 5:27 says, "when she heard of Jesus, she came in the crowd behind Him and toughed HIs garment." She was behind. She was not ahead. She was not winning. She was down, counted out, losing. But in verse 28 she made the "onside recovery." She said, "...if I may touch His garment, I shall be healed." 

What was she saying? If I can just get close enough to just touch His apparel, if I can get in range of Him, the opportunity to connect to Him, I am going to be made well. I am going to win.

Back to the game.

The improbable was now in sight. In Bills' territory, with NO timeouts, all Dallas would need to win this crazy game was a field goal.

Sometimes, we are subjected to criticism, during a comeback. Why did the coach call that play? What was the quarterback thinking when he threw the football to him? Why did he throw to him...? Didn't he see the tight end was open? Why didn't the linemen block that way instead of the other way? 

So many instances of second guessing and "armchair quarterbacking" come to mind when your in the middle of trying times and you're faced with obstacles that seem insurmountable.

I wonder if she questioned the amount of doctors she went to? Maybe she asked what if I go to one more doctor...perhaps they can help? I can take out another mortgage or a home equity loan to pay the bills? Maybe I can beg, borrow, or steal to make ends' meet? 

So in three passes, Romo got the Cowboys to the Bills' 35-yard line with two seconds remaining. Customarily, opposing teams with any timeouts remaining, would call one to "ice" the kicker. The perception is, giving him time to think, or over think the kick, would cause him to miss. 

As Folk kicked, what appeared to be the game winner, as noted above, the Bills' coaches called a timeout as the kick went through the uprights. 

The kick did not count.

But, now, the pressure was on Folk to do it all over again. 

Can you imagine what was going through his mind? Miss it, he is sick. Everyone who's a Cowboys fan was going to read him the riot act. Doubters probably would bash him on the radio and ambush his character, his abilities.  Make it, and the euphoria erupts, and the team lifts him high on their shoulders, people shouting all sorts of praise .

So the reset is on, the ball is snapped. The holder received the ball. All that's left is the wind up and the kick.

Game. 

Dallas won in a still talked about fashion, 25-24.

For the unnamed woman in Mark 5, she too, got her comeback. See in verse 29, Mark says, she got her healing. She got her win!

The point to all of this is simply, never quit, never doubt, and never give up. God has given you more than enough to accomplish the task at hand. It may seem like your failing in your marriage, your parenting skills, your job, your life, but God has your back and He is with you as you go through the fight.

Don't let the naysayers, the detractors, the ones who claim to know what's right/wrong cause you to quit.

Use your faith, anchor it to Jesus's word, and your comeback will be set.

You. Win.

Game.

John 3:16