It’s something like being thrown helplessly to the ground.
Life seems to deal each of us many ‘sacks.’ What does the good veteran quarterback do after a sack? He gets up, regroups, gets back in the huddle, and calls another play, anticipating a better outcome, trusting that the game plan was prepared properly.
In 1965, Gary was a backup quarterback to the great John Unitas with the Baltimore Colts. Towards the end of the season, John was injured, and Gary started in his first NFL game against the Minnesota Vikings.
In his first start, he had one of those days an athlete calls ‘in the zone’ (five touchdown passes, NFL players of the week, and Baltimore Colt’s record for touchdown passes in one game). He felt like he was on his way to where he thought he’d always wanted to go.
Unitas returned the following week but was soon injured again, and Gary had the opportunity to start against the Green Bay Packers with the division title at stake.
In the second quarter, Gary was sacked. Being thrown down on his left shoulder with two Packers’ weight added to his, Gary’s shoulder was separated, requiring surgery the following day to wire it back together.
Within four weeks, Gary went from great acclaim to lying in a hospital bed while the team forged on without him. Sacked!
During this time, Gary had become close friends with Raymond Berry, a Hall of Fame wide receiver for the Colts. He called himself a Christian. Gary had gone to church all his life but had never been encouraged to read the Bible.
He needed an understanding of one of the most essential beliefs in the Christian faith found in Ephesians 2:8-9. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of ourselves; it is a gift of God not of works, lest anyone should boast.”
We will not read a resume of our achievements in heaven, but we will be accountable for responding to God’s gift of salvation. We are saved by placing our trust in Jesus Christ’s atoning death on the cross. Have you ever put your trust in Jesus?
God uses the sacks in our lives to get our attention to focus on the important things. Do you want to have assurance that you are going to heaven?
The Bible says in 1 John 5:12-13, “He who has the Son has live; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Will you pray as Gary has, repenting of the sin in your life and asking Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior? When you pray to receive Jesus Christ by faith, life’s final “sack” will usher you through death’s door to eternity in God’s presence.