Tag: community

We forget everyday things such as keys, phone, meeting times, appointments, our lunch the list seems endless at times. In basketball we forget plays, scouts, actions, team rules and training, match & event times. There are things like people’s birthdays, wedding dates & promised times with loved ones.

Then there are things that are forgotten that actually matter – some of the things above again are seen in this light by any person. For me that has come to the fore over several years and again was reflected to me even stronger in the lead up to this Easter period.

It started last Sunday where for the first time unexpectedly in many years I had the opportunity to be part of an annual event down in Brighton on Jetty Road. Many of our churches including my local church Lighthouse gather together on the Sunday morning before the final Easter week to walk together with some donkeys and palm leaves – enacting in some ways a significant moment in the bible for our beliefs.

A volunteer was needed to hold a palm leaf and sway it from side to side – I felt the need to raise my hand but not quite sure why.

And then as I walked up Jetty Road swaying that palm leaf it hit me.

Everyone either side of the road either stopped or stared or smiled or laughed even – why???

Some remember and some forget why.

I would guarantee there would be people watching going “oh that’s a nice parade, no idea what for” or “here’s something to put on social media” or ” what a waste of time with that religious stuff” or even “Don’t they look funny with their singing and palm leaves walking by.” Some might even be “what right do they have to do this?” or “They are just shoving it in our faces” and even more aggressive reactionary responses.

After that moment though – how many would actually talk about why they feel that way with their coffee, walking or bike riding companion. My biggest fear is that after a fleeting moment of that event being viewed – most likely nothing more would be said about it. Too many times we see something and just go “well that happened what’s next?” and instantly forget it happened instead of deeply considering there is some value to what has just happened.

Our whole human exterior I believe is built for curiosity and to question by design and to make sense of things in a natural manner. This Easter however there will be many that will see this weekend flash by then forget to question why we have these public holidays and long weekend.

It’s no secret publicly that my faith and basketball mix together in all I do and the Thursday at Easter has taught me some valuable lessons of what to remember and what to forget. One year I admittedly prioritised basketball over a church service which when you look at it in isolation seemed okay however had a bit of a rolling affect of understanding the importance of this time. Every year since then I’ve made myself unavailable for anything like that and have been very open about why it’s the case.

This year I had that challenge again coming into the Easter period and it was even harder. I had a last minute text to help with a game commentating and with the doors of the Marion Stadium likely to close on Thursday night for the last ever game of NBL1 – both my worlds collided. Marion all be it a small part of my journey to this stage was where I was court announcer for South Adelaide for a few years, met some players that I’ve done Baptist carnival with, have some personal memories from my playing days with SA Church Stars and indeed as a person working in the City of Marion community have a large affinity for.

Yet I never want to forget why I have what I have and who has given that to me and it may seem a little over zealous to some or rigid in thinking but for me I’m not the creative person or man I am today without the one who gave his life for me. Hence every year no matter what is going on that’s also important to me or I am needed for – I make myself unavailable and attend my church to read a section of scripture at my church by candlelight on the Thursday night before Good Friday.

This year I was able to do this either side of the Marion NBL1 game which in some ways was a redemption of my past failings because since then I have placed my saviour above worldly things at this time. It reminds me of the importance of doing things to remember the things that matter not only this week annually but also everyday of my life. I also see that there will be a day where these things we do like walking Jetty Road with palm leaves and reading scripture by candlelight in public places like our church will sadly be no more as the world moves on or even prevents this from happening.

In our Good Friday message we were reminded about how the soldiers played games at the foot of the cross for Jesus’s things

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divide my clothes amount them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.

 – John 19:23-24 NIV

We were encouraged to take home a dice or small palm cross from our service as a reminder of the above – I chose this dice to take home to remind myself that chance and luck are not God’s way and its not these I do or where I am situated today in life.

As I want to remember to keep doing things in remembrance of him and not forget these in an instance. This Easter with all this information we are bombarded with daily, moments we witness and things we try to remember why we do – can we really afford to not at least stop to question why we do these things to remember why we have this Easter before any chance to do so is completely forgotten…

Silence can be one of the hardest things to deal with in life, no doubt about it. The waiting for a job opportunity, making the team, taking that extra step in that application process from “thankyou for your application unfortunately you weren’t successful this time” to “Your application was successful. ” It’s always easy when we have control of these things and have the “ball in our court” and as a society whether we deny it or not – we are hungry for this in our lives. 

One of the great life lessons and skills is to let that go – but our desire for things on a daily basis that fill our basket of wants and also needs can often get in the way. We are often advertised as needing complete control of our lives, finances, desires, fulfillment, and satisfaction. The list is really endless when you think about it. I believe from my own personal experiences that’s where the anxiety when we don’t have this grows.

The list is really endless and never runs out once you get control of that thing something else crops up, then that thing and often that control you get creates another thing out of that vicious cycle. It becomes draining and tiring chasing the ball around trying to be the only one with it in your hands.

You then become bitter, angry, upset and ultimately stop growing in character when you chase something that feels like it can never end. What shapes this is the belief you can achieve ultimate control in your own stead – but our lives reflect daily that simply is not possible and also is fraught with caution in the relationships we have daily with others. 

On this Good Friday – Jesus had complete control of the situation even when he was hanging on the cross – you would remember the story of the two robbers who were hanging next to him – one assumed he would just exercise his control and come down from there but the other knew this is the point he was trying to make about our lives and the many he would save for the decision he was going to ultimately make.

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah?” Save yourself and us!” but the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what we deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you today you will be with me in paradise” – Luke 23:39-43 NIV

In this one moment we see a convicted man relinquish the “ball in his court” and pass it to God because next to him was the one who shouldn’t even have to pass it or give up the open scoring opportunity – did the same by giving his trust in his very life to his Father in Heaven. 

There is far more context in this one moment that can be pulled apart including the other robber who couldn’t relinquish control himself –  however the key here is that if the one who always had the ball in his court chose to give it away to his father in heaven. 

Why can’t we? 

It is because of this one decision that we actually have freedom to have more balls in our courts to either score the open look, dish off to someone else to give them something they don’t have or make a play to get closer to the target in our life he wants to give us access to. 

Cause if you have the same ball constantly in your hands then how can someone freely pass you the one that grows your character, life opportunities, relationships and share his love with your community???

Sometimes the reason you have silence in your life journey is because someone out of nowhere is about to pass you the ball that God wants you to catch, hold onto for a bit then freely choose to pass on.

It’s called an assist for a reason – it’s the ultimate assist in life…