7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.8We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed--10always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
When we recognize that in our own humanity, we are frail and incapable of pleasing God, we also see that in Him, we have great power and potential to live our lives for Christ. Even though we may face the pain or pressure of adversity, even though we encounter weakness and failure, through our dependence on God, we can encounter a strength beyond ourselves, so that our lives will reflect a Savior who gives us His very life. Through His power, we can be transformed, so that His work might be seen in us.
In Philippians 3, we find a passage of Scripture that addresses spiritual growth and the pursuit of a spiritual goal:12Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,14I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Americans are celebrating a World Cup soccer victory today - the USA team beat Ghana 2-1, defeating the team that had knocked them out of the competition during the previous 2 tournaments. The New York Times credited, among others, the work of goalie Tim Howard, saying that he was "shining as the stabilizing force for a defense that had been thought of as the team’s weak link." Howard was described as"staying so positive and faithful."
The article continues:
After Clint Dempsey scored less than one minute into the game, Howard was in charge of keeping the fleet-footed Ghanaians at bay from his spot in what could very well be the loneliest place in all of sports — the one between two white goal posts. As Ghana shot the ball toward him again and again, he did his best to create an impenetrable force field. He leapt high and wide. He rolled low and fast. He scrambled out of the box to meet oncoming shots with so much power and speed that he seemed like a freight train gone off its rails.A 2006 article found on the Cru website called USA World Cup goalie Tim Howard, "The Goal Keeper." He is an American, and has played in Great Britain, including a stint for the Manchester United team. Earlier in his career, as he tasted success on the field, he realized he had two choices: strive to be a sports idol, or give God the glory. Tim vowed to give credit to the Creator.
Tim became involved with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry of Cru. Through AIA, he forged friendships with many of his teammates and also the team chaplain, Rob Skead. He has been featured in several Christian publications, and also stars in an Athletes in Action DVD, The Tim Howard Story, which includes his Christian testimony and has been seen in a number of different countries. Tim also appeared in an AIA DVD about the World Cup.
Tim is quoted as saying, "The most important thing in my life...is Christ. He's more important to me than winning or losing or whether I'm playing or not. Everything else is just a bonus."
The website, WorldSoccerJourneys.com, published a piece a few years ago on Howard. He said, “I’m certainly just a vehicle for Christ...and He moves me and the Spirit moves me in miraculous ways – that’s from dealing with Tourette’s syndrome to the pressures playing on a level like this and in England in the Premiere League. I just try to rely on faith."
He continued: “I’m not perfect...I’m far from it and that is the reason I do need Jesus. I try to live it. … I stumble, as many people do, but always in the belief that I’m loved and that I’m meaningful.”
For the first ten years of his life, Howard suffered with an undiagnosed case of Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by physical and verbal tics.
“I did not experience peace,” he said in a testimony published by Athletes in Action. “But even though my life often seemed chaotic, I knew I could always count on at least one person to provide calm and stability: my grandmother.”
Howard said his grandmother’s sense of peace was so powerful because it came from her faith in the Lord. “Through her, God revealed His love for me as well,” he said. “It wasn’t long before I was following in her footsteps. I wanted the same kind of faith and peace she had, and that is exactly what God gave me.”
Howard said living with Tourette’s is not easy. “But God has blessed me with the gift of athleticism as well,” he shared. “He has done some powerful things in my life through the combination of these two gifts. … He also has shown me ways to use my position as a professional athlete to encourage others with Tourette’s syndrome.”
What an amazing testimony from someone who is now firmly on an enormous world stage! And, while Howard tends to the goal during the soccer matches, he is also someone who is driven to pursue the goal of glorifying Christ. He obviously recognizes the platform that he has been given, and demonstrates a dependence of God that can be a powerful example to all of us. As he said, he is a vehicle for Christ.
And, while Howard may seem to have lived somewhat of a charmed life on the surface, you also realize that he has had to deal with physical challenges. His faith has been a central component as he has dealt with Tourette's, but he has experienced God's peace to sustain him. And, he recognizes that through his adversity, he can help encourage others who are suffering with the same condition. Tim Howard can inspire us to develop a greater dependence on the Lord, who can give our lives purpose and peace.
By the way, RBC Ministries, who brings you Sports Spectrum, has developed some resources to coincide with the World Cup. Learn more at www.theperfectgameplan.org.
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