Spain 3, Tunisia 1

I'm running the risk of over-spiritualising here (welcome to post-modernism... where the 'Jack & Jill' nusery rhyme can be turned into a holy story) but I was reminded of the Christian life while watching the match between Spain & Tunisia, so... these are my thoughts :)

I didn't catch the 1st half so imagine my amazement when I woke up to Spain trailing by a goal at the 46th min. It was an entertaining half (and by entertaining, I mean that it was one-way traffic with Spain having most of the possession) as Spain surged onward, wave after wave of attack. Tunisia were just packing in their defence, crowding their 6-yard area with bodies, restricting the short-passing game of the Spaniards.

As the game wore on however, I was just absolutely amazed at how calm and patient the Spanish were. Though their final passes to Torres & Raul (their strikers) were being intercepted time and time again, they just regained possession and tried again. Drifting the ball from flank to flank, patiently waiting for an opening, they continued pressing. Never once did they start to look desperate and pump in high balls or shoot like mis-aimed cannons from long distance They knew what they had to do and they stuck to it. Eventually, they were rewarded with goals coming in the 72nd, 76th and 90th min... winning the game 3-1.

So, what was going through my mind? Well, when something worrying happens in life (like the unexpected 0-1 lead by the Tunisians), I begin to worry and doubt creeps in. Are you sure I'm supposed to follow God's word all the way through? Don't you think that maybe, just maybe God hopes for me to try it out this other way?

The way the Spanish played, consistent & patient, reminded me that sometimes, that's the way the path of righteouness works. Our first instinct would be to react and cry out, something's wrong here! This shouldn't be happening! But what is often needed is to follow through on God's commands, tough and seemingly "unrewarding" as it might be. To press on and fix our eyes on Jesus along the way. Too many of us have grown to develop a "rewards-right-now" theology. Where we half-expect our rewards to be given to us on earth. However, that ain't the way God works. Yes, He does, in His grace, reward us in multiple ways on earth... but our full inheritance isn't to be found here, its when we finally get to glorify Him over and over again... for all eternity! That's our inheritance and reward :)

May we be patient and long-suffering... keeping to his commands of righteousness and learning to be faithful to our Lord and Saviour. Stirring each other onward and pointing always toward Christ. For in the light of eternity, the narrrow gate and hard way leads to life eternal...

[13]"Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14]For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

Matt 7:13,14 (ESV)