I may be in the minority on this one, but I love NBA All-Star weekend – especially the dunk contest! This year, all the festivities are on Sunday and I’m looking forward to watching another seasonal spectacle.
The exciting scene for a dunk contest is set with one guy, one basketball, one rim, and fans who hope to see incredible dunks that make them jump out of their seats.
ESPN.com recently asked their experts to pick every NBA franchises’ greatest dunker by factoring in players' in-game dunks, performance in the slam dunk contest, innovation, and signature moments (you can read the results later).
Some of my favorite dunkers over the years have been Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Andre Iguodala, and Aaron Gordon.
Although a player’s athleticism and creativity are on display once they leave the ground, the one crucial element to every dunker’s top dunk is timing.
The players must jump, spin, release, throw, and catch the ball at just the right time. The timing has to be perfect because if they rush a dunk or mistime their jump, the dunk ends up being unsuccessful and they can potentially fall on their face.
To win a dunk contest, the timing of when players decide to perform each unique slam is also important. They usually want to save their best one for last, but need enough good dunks in the early rounds to get into the final. Determining the right order is critical for getting the scores needed to win.
There is generally a lot of truth in the saying, “timing is everything,” as it affects a slam dunk and also many areas of our own lives.
For me, the timing was right when I was single and bumped into my wife in the coffee line at church…when I started UNPACKIN’ it…and when I went to Appalachian State during the championship years. I can look back at my life and see how important timing has always been.
Waiting for the right time and the right order can be a challenging process, but thankfully we can trust that God knows best, He is in control, He is worthy of our faith, and He will reveal to us when to "jump."
There are seasons and situations where He allows us to wait, but during that time God develops our character and deepens our dependence on Him.
Usually, this means that some of the details aren’t ready yet or we aren’t ready yet, but God is still working everything out and answers our prayers at the proper time, according to His will and plan. We’re able to look back and see the significance in waiting, and ultimately realize that rushing things would not have been in our best interest.
In order to persevere while waiting for the right time, we must find our strength in Him and continue turning to Him during these moments of delay, and trust in His perfect timing.
Lamentations 3:25 (AMP) says, "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To those who seek Him ."
As we wait, we can repeat the words found in Micah 7:7 (NLT), “As for me, I look to the Lord for help. I wait confidently for God to save me, and my God will certainly hear me.”
We can also be encouraged by what it says in Psalm 32:8 (NLT): “The Lord says, I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'”
Today, let’s not try and get ahead of God, but instead seek Him and believe He’s working in us and through us for His purposes. As we wait, we know He’s in control and His timing always leads to a slam dunk!
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I admit how much I struggle with waiting. I’m impatient and frustrated when things take longer than I think they should. Please help me trust You and Your timing, and believe You are moving in amazing ways. I thank you in advance for my answered prayers that align with Your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.Discussion Questions for PACKS:
What are some examples from your own life where timing was everything?
Have there been situations in your life where you’re glad you waited or examples where you look back and learned that you should have waited longer?
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