I loved growing up as a sports fan in the 1990s for many reasons, and one reason, in particular, is the incredible sports movies that still hold up as classics today. A personal favorite is the baseball movie, Rookie of the Year. It has so many memorable characters, good actors, and a wildly unbelievable storyline. The main character is 12-year-old, Henry Rowengartner, who is in the middle of the Little League season and not playing very well. One day during school recess he's told to catch a fly ball. As he attempts to do so, Henry slips on another baseball hidden in the grass, falling to the ground, and breaking his arm. He ends up having to wear a cast throughout the summer, which is terrible timing for him. But when returning to the doctor after months in the cast, Henry surprisingly finds out that his tendons healed too tightly, resulting in tremendous speed when rotating his shoulder and arm forward. That type of speed along with that kind of motion now enables Henry to throw a baseball at 103 miles per hour! Henry and his friends are big Chicago Cubs fans (despite the team being terrible), and go to a game with hardly anyone in the crowd at Wrigley Field. When a foul ball lands in their section, everyone yells for Henry to throw it back. With his arm clicking into place with its newfound strength, he throws the ball from the outfield stands all the way to home plate. This shocking throw causes quite a stir leading to Henry getting a tryout with the Cubs and ultimately signing a contract to pitch for the team. The movie then becomes all about Henry being a young kid playing Major League Baseball at a high level and the Cubs winning a ton of games, bringing in countless fans, and doing something extremely improbable. It's not only astonishing that Henry's pitching for the Cubs, but just as unthinkable that Chicago is winning! The header on the movie poster reads, “The Chicago Cubs Needed a Miracle…They Got Henry Rowengartner.” This is such an entertaining movie with all of the intriguing dynamics that come with a 12-year-old throwing an outrageous fastball and playing alongside professional baseball players. Movies like this allow kids to see something improbable become possible which can make them believe it can happen in their own lives. Unfortunately, as we get older, we seem to lose our belief in the impossible as we focus on the limitations and harsh realities of life instead. However, as followers of Jesus, that doesn’t have to be the case for us. God is still able to do far more miraculous, supernatural, unbelievable things than even a crazy kid’s movie can come up with. Ephesians 3:20-21(NLT) says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.” The truth is, the longer we walk with Jesus and mature in our faith, the stronger our belief in the improbable becomes. We see God turn lives around, heal broken people, and show up as only He can, in order to accomplish His purposes. By witnessing His power move in incredible ways throughout our lives, we can confidently answer "no" to the question in Jeremiah 32:27 (ESV): “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for Me?” Matthew 19:26 (AMP) tells us, “But Jesus looked at them and said, 'With people it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.'” God continues to be a miracle worker and is always worthy to be trusted. He can do something in our circumstances that appears impossible or improbable. Today, let’s be encouraged that God is all-powerful, and even in the most unfortunate situations we face, He's able to turn our “broken arms into the strongest arms.” Let’s remember the powerful promise of Romans 8:28 (AMP): “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.” I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that! PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for my doubts and my unbelief and for forgetting just how powerful and able You truly are. I trust You to do the impossible and improbable in my life according to Your plans and purposes. I am grateful for all the miracles that have already happened in my life and I thank You in advance for what You’ll do next. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS FOR PACKS:
1. In what ways has God demonstrated His supernatural, miraculous power in your life? 2. In what ways are you trusting God to do something impossible and improbable in your life?
コメント