Even when it looks hopeless …

Last week’s Nascar race was won by a 101 to 1 underdog. He wasn’t supposed to win … but he did.

In the 1980 Olympics a motley group of amateur and college hockey players were pitted against an elite group of Soviet professionals. There was no way they were to even be competitive, let alone win … but they did.

The late 1930s found America coming out of hard times. She needed an underdog to surprise and give something to cheer about. She found it in an undersized, leggy steed named Seabiscuit … ridden by an oversized jockey and trained by a ‘past-his-prime’ trainer. He wasn’t supposed to be a contender … but he was.

Three hundred Israeli soldiers equipped with clay pots, ancient horns and torches (improbable weapons of war to be sure) take on over one hundred thousand well -trained warriors in one of the Bible’s most unusual battles. Of course they’re not supposed to win … but they did.

Teenager David carries his weapon tucked into his tunic’s belt with the ammo inside a small leather pouch. He, his slingshot and five stones from the creek are walking toward a giant of an opponent. Goliath is fitted with armor covering almost all of his body holding the latest and best weapons available. And he stands behind an armor-bearer. Pound for pound, weapon for weapon, experience versus inexperience … this shouldn’t go well for David. But it did.

When we thrill to the underdog overcoming all obstacles and all opponents, we usually are overlooking something. We view with amazement outcomes that shouldn’t have come out as they did. But in the first three accounts above, we don’t factor in the toughness of human spirit, the lucky breaks that sometime give an advantage or the gritty determination and hard work behind the scenes.

And in the final two illustrations, we too easily ignore the most significant player in the drama … God! Those we labeled ‘underdog’ were never thought so by God. They were ‘shoo-ins’ from the very start. Victory is always assured when God is on the team!

This week rejoice that you have a God with an unblemished winning record and that He wants you on his team!

“With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

“We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

“God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

May joy and victory be yours on your journey!