Get Up

Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs  in the history of American football. There are not many people that would disagree that professional football is a rough, sometimes violent sport. Years ago, during a Monday-night football game between the Chicago Bears and the New York Giants, one of the announcers observed that Walter Payton, the Bears’ hall-of-fame running back, had accumulated over nine miles in yardage by running with the football. Another announcer remarked, “Yeah, and that’s with someone knocking him down every 4.6 yards!” As I read that I was reminded of what we are told in 

Proverbs 24:16  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

There is not a one of us who have not been discouraged from time to time. Some get discouraged because they don’t feel they are meeting goals and expectations that they have made for themselves. Maybe someone else would be better at this than I am, so I’ll just quit! Ok, Ok let’s just all get around you and pat you on the back, feel sorry with you and let you believe that we never have problems or get discouraged or make the same mistake over and over again. In Luke chapter 24 you will find two that had just left Jerusalem on the greatest day in History; resurrection Sunday and they are both discouraged. 

Luke 24:13  And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. (7-9 miles)

Luke 24:15  And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

Luke 24:17  And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

Here we find two that are in the same shape; discouraged.  But Jesus, on the most important day in History takes time out of His busy schedule to help encourage them both.  Did you my friend get knocked down? Then do what Walter Payton did time and time again get up! Walter Payton was one of the most successful running backs to ever play professional football. He knew that everyone even the best gets knocked down. The key to his success was getting back up and running again just as hard the next time he took the football. If you and I are going to succeed when we get knocked down we are going to have to get back up. If you don’t then you will soon lose out and never become one of the most successful. Peter was knocked down but he got back up. Even the Apostle Paul made mistakes; what if he would have just quit? Now what about you; if you just quit how many will be hurt in you weak decision? In the race that is the Christian life, keep your eyes on the finish line and run hard! No matter who tries to cause you to stumble or whatever circumstances knock you off balance, when you fall down along the way, get back up, dust yourself off and get back in the game! The team is depending on you.