Why Lattimore will recover
By HARRIS C. MURRAY
I do not know Marcus Lattimore personally. I would like to. Despite the horrific injury he sustained on the football field, the indelible memory I will take away from that game was Marcus pointing to the sky after he scored a touchdown. Marcus places his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He knows that football is temporal and that his life is eternal. I believe Marcus trusts God at a far deeper level than most.
Marcus gives credit to God for everything in his life — even the difficult things he has had to endure. Marcus stated after Dylan Thompson took over as starting quarterback that he reminded him, as Dylan does for Marcus every game, “Remember who you are playing for.”
That “who” is Jesus Christ, to whom Marcus looks for his redemption and his life of faith. These are not ideas that the media easily embraces. They categorize Marcus as a “fine young man,” a “humble guy,” a “selfless player.” All those attributes are apparently true, but what is truer is that Marcus has developed these attributes by having Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life.
Christians who understand the depths of faith know that a life of faith involves suffering. That suffering is often unfair and unexpected. An even brief study of the New Testament will reveal a theme that if you profess faith in Jesus Christ, you will suffer because He suffered. As his fellow heirs, Christians, too, are called to endure suffering and to trust God in the midst of it.
Through the worst suffering that a human being could endure in Roman times, Jesus Christ was stripped and beaten, forced to carry his own vehicle of execution, persecuted by crowds and hung on a cross by having nails driven into his hands and feet. There was no more gruesome kind of execution than the cross. All this Jesus endured with few words. His most powerful were, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
I believe Marcus, though right now is undergoing the mind’s natural response to disappointment, pain and uncertainty, will recover. It is not his physical recovery that really matters however. Marcus Lattimore will recover spiritually and be stronger and more effective as a servant of Christ. He will be able to testify to the nearness of God, the deeper purposes of God, and to the holiness of God, who will walk with him each step of his journey to physical recovery.
No media will cover Marcus’ spiritual character. But it has everything to do with why Marcus Lattimore will recover and will recover strongly. Perhaps he will never play football again. No one can make that prognostication at this moment.
But as Marcus’ sister in Christ, I can testify that his trust in God will never fail him. God will never fail him. God will be faithful to Marcus, and he will take Marcus to deeper levels of a Christlike spirit and life than ever before. From all indications, Marcus has trusted his life to Jesus Christ — this from the way he lives his life and for the testimony he gives to audiences and for the way he influences his fellow players.
Marcus stated the night before the Tennessee game, “Play each game as if it is your last.” No one knows if this was Marcus’ last game. I do know, however, that if it was, God has greater plans in store for Marcus than even a pro-football career. If he has to, Marcus will come to terms with this because he trusts God. As he texted to the crowd celebrating his 21st birthday, “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
No, Marcus. God does not make mistakes. Thank you for reminding us of that and for continually living out your faith in a humble but profound way. Regardless of his future football career, Marcus’ hand pointing up to God after the touchdown shows where his heart and his timeless purpose are grounded.
http://m.thetandd.co...1a4bcf887a.html
By HARRIS C. MURRAY
I do not know Marcus Lattimore personally. I would like to. Despite the horrific injury he sustained on the football field, the indelible memory I will take away from that game was Marcus pointing to the sky after he scored a touchdown. Marcus places his faith and trust in Jesus Christ. He knows that football is temporal and that his life is eternal. I believe Marcus trusts God at a far deeper level than most.
Marcus gives credit to God for everything in his life — even the difficult things he has had to endure. Marcus stated after Dylan Thompson took over as starting quarterback that he reminded him, as Dylan does for Marcus every game, “Remember who you are playing for.”
That “who” is Jesus Christ, to whom Marcus looks for his redemption and his life of faith. These are not ideas that the media easily embraces. They categorize Marcus as a “fine young man,” a “humble guy,” a “selfless player.” All those attributes are apparently true, but what is truer is that Marcus has developed these attributes by having Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life.
Christians who understand the depths of faith know that a life of faith involves suffering. That suffering is often unfair and unexpected. An even brief study of the New Testament will reveal a theme that if you profess faith in Jesus Christ, you will suffer because He suffered. As his fellow heirs, Christians, too, are called to endure suffering and to trust God in the midst of it.
Through the worst suffering that a human being could endure in Roman times, Jesus Christ was stripped and beaten, forced to carry his own vehicle of execution, persecuted by crowds and hung on a cross by having nails driven into his hands and feet. There was no more gruesome kind of execution than the cross. All this Jesus endured with few words. His most powerful were, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.”
I believe Marcus, though right now is undergoing the mind’s natural response to disappointment, pain and uncertainty, will recover. It is not his physical recovery that really matters however. Marcus Lattimore will recover spiritually and be stronger and more effective as a servant of Christ. He will be able to testify to the nearness of God, the deeper purposes of God, and to the holiness of God, who will walk with him each step of his journey to physical recovery.
No media will cover Marcus’ spiritual character. But it has everything to do with why Marcus Lattimore will recover and will recover strongly. Perhaps he will never play football again. No one can make that prognostication at this moment.
But as Marcus’ sister in Christ, I can testify that his trust in God will never fail him. God will never fail him. God will be faithful to Marcus, and he will take Marcus to deeper levels of a Christlike spirit and life than ever before. From all indications, Marcus has trusted his life to Jesus Christ — this from the way he lives his life and for the testimony he gives to audiences and for the way he influences his fellow players.
Marcus stated the night before the Tennessee game, “Play each game as if it is your last.” No one knows if this was Marcus’ last game. I do know, however, that if it was, God has greater plans in store for Marcus than even a pro-football career. If he has to, Marcus will come to terms with this because he trusts God. As he texted to the crowd celebrating his 21st birthday, “God doesn’t make mistakes.”
No, Marcus. God does not make mistakes. Thank you for reminding us of that and for continually living out your faith in a humble but profound way. Regardless of his future football career, Marcus’ hand pointing up to God after the touchdown shows where his heart and his timeless purpose are grounded.
http://m.thetandd.co...1a4bcf887a.html
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