“For all flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.
– 1 Peter 1:24-25 (ESV)

For every athlete, the passing of time forces an inevitable reality check. The hand-eye coordination slows, the speed of the game increases and the recovery time from the aches and pain grows. The skills that once came so naturally are now getting more difficult each season. Questions flood the mind. Does the training regime need to be changed? Is it just a matter of working harder? Is this the end of the line—is it time to quit or retire? Coaches do their best to encourage and motivate hoping to see a return to the performances of the past. The mind is willing but the body can’t do what it used to do. In my experience, the weaker my body gets, the louder I hear the words of encouragement from former coaches. “I believe in you!” “You can do it!” “Don’t quit!” “We can do it together!” Words of encouragement are powerful and they can last a lifetime.

Scripture tells us that human life is fleeting. Like grass, it seems that just yesterday we were green and healthy. Suddenly we are turning brown and feeling trampled. Physical beauty and the muscular frame disappear. Just as the grass withers and the flowers begin to droop,  we are forced to deal with our own failing bodies. We go from running to walking. We think about taking the elevator instead of the stairs. The aches and pains are more frequent. That’s not great news, but if we live long enough it happens. Here is the good news! Much like the words of your favorite coach that have spoken to you through the years, the word of God  endures forever. God’s Word was true yesterday, it is true today and it will be true tomorrow. It will sustain us when we feel we can’t go on. It will give us hope when it seems all hope is lost. It will never die. That is true power and it will last for eternity.

Heavenly Father, Your Word is truth and it is empowering. Help me to keep Your Word close as I face the uncertainty of today. In Jesus name, Amen.