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Key Bible Verse: Say to those who are afraid, "Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming … to save you." (Isaiah 35:4). Bonus Reading: Isaiah 35:1–10

Sports fans set aside a major portion of their lives to follow the fortunes of their team. Just watching the game isn't enough. Fully involved fans carefully follow speculation and anticipation in the "pregame show." They give themselves with earnest devotion to the "postgame show" postmortem, analyzing and criticizing the game.

Our salvation also began long before we were born, and it will continue far beyond our earthly end. In the past the prophets predicted that Christ would come again; that we can contemplate. Now Christ has come; this we can celebrate. And in the future, as Isaiah reminds us, Christ will come again; that we can anticipate.

When Christ comes in great glory, He'll consummate all that He's begun. Not a few blind eyes, lame legs, and deaf ears were healed when He came the first time, but these were simply foretastes of what He'll do when He comes again. Then He'll make all things new.

However, unlike sports fans, we can enjoy our postgame show now—we know who wins, and can savor our victory even while the "game" is still in progress.

—Stuart Briscoe in The One Year Book of Devotions for Men

My Response: I'll take a "time out" to savor our coming victory.

Thought to Apply: Hope is the power of being cheerful in circumstances which we know to be desperate. —G. K. Chesterton (British journalist)

Adapted from The One Year Book of Devotions for Men (Tyndale, 2000) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Dear God, I thank You that what is unseen is eternal. Give me the eyes of faith to see reality.

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