This one football play haunts me even 49.5 years later. In this particular game, the Portland Adventist Academy Cougars were playing Walla Walla College's freshmen team. I was playing center with a reputation for catching anything thrown my way. They were ahead by six points. Time was running out. We drove down the field and found ourselves on their five-yard line with time for one more play. In the huddle, the quarterback called for a sweep left with an option to throw. My job was to hike the ball, dart forward five yards, and button hook to the right. That's the play we ran. I found myself open. The quarterback saw me and rifled a throw. It was coming in high, so I jumped to receive it. Rather than catching it with my hands, I would trap it against my chest because of its velocity. Unfortunately for me, it came in so fast and hard that it ricocheted off my shoulder, over my head, and was intercepted by the other team. We lost the game and the trophy.
If I had followed my coach's advice, "Keep your eye on the ball. Always catch the football with your hands, squeeze it tight, and then cradle it into your body," we would have won the game and the trophy. But I did follow his instructions, and we lost the game and trophy.
Jesus instructed us on how to win life's trophy, "I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so no one will take away your crown." Jesus is our crown, and the world is trying to take Him from us. So, let’s not take our eyes off Jesus. If we don’t hold Him fast, He will slip away.