The Titans and Ravens played in an important AFC matchup on Sunday that resulted in a 30-24 win for Tennessee in overtime. Despite the Ravens being up 21-10 in the third quarter, the Titans mounted a comeback as they leaned on their star wide receiver, A.J. Brown, and forceful running back, Derrick Henry.
Baltimore came into this season with high expectations after winning the AFC North last year and quarterback, Lamar Jackson, being named MVP. However, they haven’t been clicking the same way and have now lost three out of their last four games.
One of the key plays late in the fourth quarter represents why the Titans won the game. Down 21-16 with just over 2 minutes left, Brown caught and ran in a 14-yard touchdown, as three Ravens defenders were unable to bring him down because of his strength and will to get into the endzone.
After the game, Lamar Jackson had this to say during his press conference: “It looked like that team wanted it more than us. They were playing physical. When we went up, I felt like we just took our foot off the gas. But we just have to keep it going for the team.”
It’s big to admit that the other team just wanted the win more. In a tight matchup that went into overtime, the Titans proved to have more heart, effort, and energy to get the win.
Jackson’s comment makes me wonder about our own lives. Do we truly want to “win” by loving God more than anything else…or do we “take our foot off the gas” instead?
Is our desire for God evident by how hard we chase after Him and how committed we are to His ways? Are “defenders” unable to take us down because our strength is in Him and we remain steadfast by persevering into the “endzone”?
Thankfully, our efforts don’t save us, but only our faith in Jesus and his death and resurrection. So based on the grace and love we’ve been shown, are we responding with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength in our love and pursuit of Him…or are we holding back, letting off the gas, and demonstrating we don’t want Him as much as other things?
Deuteronomy 6:5 (AMP) gives us this command: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and mind and with all your soul and with all your strength [your entire being].”
The Bible tells us in Psalm 119:2 (AMP) “Blessed and favored by God are those who keep His testimonies, And who [consistently] seek Him and long for Him with all their heart.”
Jeremiah 29:13 (ESV) says, ”You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 (NLT) adds, “But from there you will search again for the Lord your God. And if you search for Him with all your heart and soul, you will find Him.”
Teams that have a will to win and just want it more are giving their all and emptying themselves to experience victory. When it comes to our own lives, let’s consider whether or not we’re giving all of our energy, efforts, and everything we have to be completely devoted to Him.
We’ll experience victory as we seek to know Him, love Him, and obey Him…without “taking our foot off the gas.”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me the way You do and for making a way for me to know You and experience Your presence. I pray I’d live a life fully devoted to You as I love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
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What gets in the way of loving God with everything you have and causes you to take your foot off the gas?
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What examples of people can you look to who are fully devoted to God and are experiencing great victory in their lives?
