Juan Garcia
CBF Moderator and Pastor
Primera Iglesia Bautista de Newport News, Va.
As I ponder what is saving my life right now, I don’t want to sound cliché, but the answer is “Jesus.” He is constantly saving me.
Now, how specifically he is doing that or how I am specifically experiencing his salvation in this season in my life—that’s where it gets interesting. Currently, I have the privilege, along with a member of our congregation, of coaching my son’s soccer team in our city league. That’s something I never thought I’d be doing. I didn’t grow up playing soccer. As a matter of fact, my sport is basketball and when I try to play soccer with some people from our church, I find myself putting my hands instead of my feet to work. Hence, the oddity of my current situation. Yet, God worked things out in a way that I find myself engaging with and coaching a group of kids from different walks of life in a sport that I am still learning myself.
The experience has been a blessing for me. It has been a breath of fresh air to my otherwise very ordinary pastoral and personal routine. It has been a source of renewal as I embrace these children, check on them during practices and games, show them Jesus’ love, pass on to them the little I know about the sport, challenge them to learn and improve and encourage them not to give up, since the game is not over until it is over. Being able to be the source of love, encouragement and fun to kids who sometimes look like they are lacking those things in their lives, has been to me a God-given and life-giving gift.
Jesus told his disciples to “let the children come to him,” and that’s precisely what I am trying to do through this unexpected opportunity of coaching my son’s soccer team. And it happens to be that God is using that to save my life these days.
Prayer, Practice, Ponder:
Lord, may we never forget that your salvation and life-giving presence can be found in those unexpected opportunities you throw our way. Help us not to miss them, but to embrace them, so we can experience new life.
Pray. . .Give. . .Go.