This weekend we’l witness another Super Bowl game.  We’ve become like the Romans of old, who put their confidence in the gladiators who assembled in the coll0seum to engage in war games and fetes of strength. We find something exciting about watching others take on difficult odds to achieve success.  Maybe it gives us a feeling that we could do such great things if we only had the chance to follow our dreams when we were younger.

Sometimes we live our dreams through the accomplishments of others.  When we do that, we’re limiting our potential.  If we never try, we will never know if we could or couldn’t make the grade.

Many of our modern day heroes are the physically strong, the beautiful, the ones with the most brains or money.  We place people on pedestals instead of the One who created them. We sell ourselves short because we don’t feel worthy.

When we do that, we’re challenging the gifts  God has given us.  He knows what we can do and how our talents can be used .  If we doubt that He can do great things through us and for us, we are denying His power.  If we give up before we even try, we are shortchanging ourselves and not living up to the potential He has built into us.

Life isn’t easy.  There are going to be difficult times.  We’ll face trouble.  We won’t always get our way.  We’ll fail.  We’ll be tempted.  We’ll eventually die.  These are facts, but we can have a life abundant, if we never give up – if we place our future in God’s hands – if we trust in His plan for our lives and if we believe in what He has already accomplished for us.

The world’s champions will all pass away, but God remains and His love endures forever.