Still on Guard?

Growing Daily

Still on Guard?

With all the excitement surrounding the World Cup soccer finals this weekend, I’m reminded of a story I heard years ago.  It seemed so far-fetched that I had to make sure it was true.

During a 1937 match in London, a dense fog rolled across the field, making visibility nearly impossible.  Eventually, officials called off the game.  The players left the field.

But nobody told goalkeeper Sam Bartram. 

Standing alone at the far end, unable to see beyond his immediate surroundings, he faithfully guarded his goal.  For nearly fifteen minutes, he was alert and ready, unaware that the game was already over.

It's a crazy story, but it reminds me how believers can continue fighting battles that Jesus has already won.  We lose sight of Christ’s finished work and carry guilt for sins He has already forgiven.  We worry about earning acceptance that Jesus has already secured. 

When Jesus died on the cross, He declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30). The work of salvation was complete. Romans 8:1 says, "So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus."

Bartram didn't stop being a goalkeeper that day.  He would stand guard in many more matches.  Likewise, we're still called to guard against temptation and the attacks of the enemy. But we don't live in uncertainty.  We rest in the confidence that Christ has already won the decisive victory.  That game is over.


- Ron Reid