About the Sport Principle
Everybody over a certain age (and Liverpool fans of all ages) remembers Liverpool’s European Cup final ‘miracle’ in Istanbul in 2005. 3-0 down at half-time, nobody thought they could turn it around, but they did, winning the final and going down in history in the process. Even this awesome achievement was arguably eclipsed by the 2019 semi-final against Barcelona, 3-0 down from the first leg (half time in the tie) against all odds, Liverpool won the Anfield fixture 4-0 and went on to win the all-English final against Spurs – again! Half-time is exactly that: half way through the match. There is still just as much time to play as has been played. If it took 45 minutes to go 3-0 down, it’s possible to be level at 3-3, or even be 4-3 up, after 90 minutes.
Application to Life
There are a number of helpful ways to view this ‘half-time’ principle when it comes to life: the main thing to understand is ‘all is not lost’. You can still turn things around. It’s not too late. Think of Liverpool in Istanbul, and be inspired. On any given day, if things aren’t going your way, don’t ever say that you’re having a bad day. The worst you can say is that you’ve had a bad day, so far! But there’s everything still to play for with the rest of the day. I work in a secondary school, and spend a lot of my time giving teenagers this kind of advice, but the problem is that we often don’t grow out of this tendency to press our own internal self-destruct buttons even as grown men. I need to be my own life coach and give the same advice to myself! Give yourself a half-time team talk and take charge of your day. Start to make some great decisions and get yourself back on track.
If you’re reading this in your mid-life, or later years, perhaps as you reflect, things haven’t gone as well as they might have done in your life so far. May be this is true in your career, your family, your marriage or other relationships, your finances, your church life, or any combination of these? The point is, if you feel like you’re being hammered, 3-0 down, with no hope of recovery, there is still the second half. It is never too late to get your life back on track. And this is true whatever your age. Allow God, through His Word, to give you a half-time team talk. Remember, Moses didn’t even have his burning bush experience until age 80! Caleb felt as strong at 80 as he was at 40. There’s no retirement in the Bible. I love what’s said of King David at the end of his life – he died old and full of years, and was still serving the purpose of God when he died – awesome! I’d like that written on my tombstone! And if you’re reading this as a young man, God-willing, you have a long and happy life ahead of you in which you can move from one level of success in God’s Kingdom to the next as you flourish for Him. But remember that none of us know how long we have. Make the most of every day and bear in mind that our best days are still ahead of us, however many of them there are, otherwise God would take us now.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12
It is never too late to start over. How are you are going to make the most of the second half…?
Image Credit: Fauzan Saari
