The Book of Pharisees

Yesterday I played soccer for the first time in about a month. I tried to go every Monday to the fields by Castleview Baptist Church to play and translate the devotional into Spanish during our break time. Unfortunately, due to funerals, marriage conferences, and the like, I’ve been absent lately.

I’m not very fit. I play mostly for the exercise and the fun, not because I have mad skills. I also go because I want to reach these guys with the gospel. The Hispanics usually outnumber everyone else, and most of them haven’t expressed any kind of faith in Christ.

Last month, probably the last time I was there, Don asked me to do the devotional. He organizes the weekly soccer game, and I usually translate for him. I didn’t have anything really prepared, but I had been reading The Greener Grass Conspiracy by Stephen Altrogge and decided to talk about contentment.

I opened the Bible to Philippians and talked about Paul’s ability to be content in whatever situation. I figured that was it.

This week, at the end of the game, when I was tired, sweaty, and sore, one of the guys ran up to me. He said, “Remember when you talked about being content no matter what happens in your life? I was talking to my wife about it, but I couldn’t remember where it was at in the Bible.”

He asked me if it was in “Pharisees,” and I assured him it wasn’t. I told him the verse reference and made my way to my wife who was not feeling well (she’s pregnant, remember) so we could leave.

I was amazed at how God works. If you try to think back to what your pastor preached four weeks ago, would you remember? This guy doesn’t go to church, and from his question about the book of Pharisees, he doesn’t have much Biblical knowledge either. But he remembered what I had talked about and found it interesting. He wanted to share it with someone else. Even though he didn’t ask me, “What must I do to be saved?” it is apparent that God is working even during soccer games.