Thoughts from our Pastor for November 2023
Celebrating Second Place
Early in my life, I was drafted to play for “Godwin Hardware and
Plumbing.” Somehow the shirt maker was able to fit all those words on the
front of a jersey for a six or seven-year-old. I was a little walking billboard.
We practiced, drilled, and went through conditioning to prepare us
for the game of the week which was usually played on Saturday morning.
All our preparations were done for one purpose. Play well and win the
game and ultimately win the championship.
We didn’t win much; we didn’t win the championship. I did survive
the year, probably because of my dad’s prayers. I had hands and eyes, but
at that time they didn’t work well together. I managed to get through the
year with only one pop up hitting me in the mouth. It was the closest I
came to catching a ball all year.
I have worn other uniforms in several sports, and in various states.
Never once did I take the field or the court with the intention of trying to
finish second. In my day, there was no trophy for being second!
In John 4:46-54, John writes about the second sign that Jesus per-
formed in Cana. His first was changing the water into wine at the wedding.
Before He performed His second sign, Jesus spent some time in Samaria.
He did a great work there in the heart of the Samaritan woman and many
of the people from her town.
Jesus returns to Cana. He is approached by a desperate dad whose
child is dying, literally “at the point of death.” We don’t know if this dad
knew about changing the water into wine. I don’t believe it would have
bothered him that his son would not be the first sign Jesus performed. Being
the second would be more than enough.
Dad is begging Jesus to come and heal his son. Jesus, issues
a challenge to the dad and to those listening in. “Unless you people see signs and
wonders, you will by no means believe.” (John 4:48)
I don’t pretend to know the feeling of this dad. The closest I came to a dying
child was when my son played football in junior high. He was playing defensive end
against Southern Wells. They ran a sweep around the end with the fullback blocking
for the running back. We watched as the fullback laid our son out with a pancake
block. All we could see from the stands was our son’s spikes standing at attention.
This dad is staring at the possibility of his son being permanently laid out by
death. He doesn’t give up. He responds to Jesus in verse 49, “Sir, come down before
my child dies!”
Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word
that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his
servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” (John 4:50-51)
There was no trophy for being second, but I’m pretty sure there was a celebration
and thanksgiving that day. A celebration that came about because a dad believed
Jesus. We could use more dads who believe Jesus today.
This is the month for celebrating Thanksgiving. We have so much for which to
be thankful, most of all our salvation. None of was the first person to be saved by Jesus.
Whether you’re first or 999th , there is joy in Heaven over the salvation of every
lost soul.
If Heaven can celebrate 2nd place, why can’t we?
Let’s be like this desperate dad. “So the man believed the word that Jesus
spoke to him, and he went his way.”
Celebrate if you have believed the word of Jesus.
If you haven’t believed the word of Jesus yet, Heaven is waiting to celebrate
your salvation!
Pastor Rick Borgman
Early in my life, I was drafted to play for “Godwin Hardware and
Plumbing.” Somehow the shirt maker was able to fit all those words on the
front of a jersey for a six or seven-year-old. I was a little walking billboard.
We practiced, drilled, and went through conditioning to prepare us
for the game of the week which was usually played on Saturday morning.
All our preparations were done for one purpose. Play well and win the
game and ultimately win the championship.
We didn’t win much; we didn’t win the championship. I did survive
the year, probably because of my dad’s prayers. I had hands and eyes, but
at that time they didn’t work well together. I managed to get through the
year with only one pop up hitting me in the mouth. It was the closest I
came to catching a ball all year.
I have worn other uniforms in several sports, and in various states.
Never once did I take the field or the court with the intention of trying to
finish second. In my day, there was no trophy for being second!
In John 4:46-54, John writes about the second sign that Jesus per-
formed in Cana. His first was changing the water into wine at the wedding.
Before He performed His second sign, Jesus spent some time in Samaria.
He did a great work there in the heart of the Samaritan woman and many
of the people from her town.
Jesus returns to Cana. He is approached by a desperate dad whose
child is dying, literally “at the point of death.” We don’t know if this dad
knew about changing the water into wine. I don’t believe it would have
bothered him that his son would not be the first sign Jesus performed. Being
the second would be more than enough.
Dad is begging Jesus to come and heal his son. Jesus, issues
a challenge to the dad and to those listening in. “Unless you people see signs and
wonders, you will by no means believe.” (John 4:48)
I don’t pretend to know the feeling of this dad. The closest I came to a dying
child was when my son played football in junior high. He was playing defensive end
against Southern Wells. They ran a sweep around the end with the fullback blocking
for the running back. We watched as the fullback laid our son out with a pancake
block. All we could see from the stands was our son’s spikes standing at attention.
This dad is staring at the possibility of his son being permanently laid out by
death. He doesn’t give up. He responds to Jesus in verse 49, “Sir, come down before
my child dies!”
Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word
that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. And as he was now going down, his
servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!” (John 4:50-51)
There was no trophy for being second, but I’m pretty sure there was a celebration
and thanksgiving that day. A celebration that came about because a dad believed
Jesus. We could use more dads who believe Jesus today.
This is the month for celebrating Thanksgiving. We have so much for which to
be thankful, most of all our salvation. None of was the first person to be saved by Jesus.
Whether you’re first or 999th , there is joy in Heaven over the salvation of every
lost soul.
If Heaven can celebrate 2nd place, why can’t we?
Let’s be like this desperate dad. “So the man believed the word that Jesus
spoke to him, and he went his way.”
Celebrate if you have believed the word of Jesus.
If you haven’t believed the word of Jesus yet, Heaven is waiting to celebrate
your salvation!
Pastor Rick Borgman