Focus

From the bleachers I hear the shrill screeching of the referee's whistle. The minutes on the clock are frozen as we wait to hear the call.

Someone has fouled the shooter, and the referee signals two free throws after an opponent slaps the hand of my daughter when she shoots towards the basket. It is the right call. Sometimes referees don't make the right call. Some are biased during the game and others just can't get close enough to the action to make the call correctly.

Do we not also get our fair share of hand slapping, poorly decided, and even missed calls as we sweat through life, holding tight to the values we believe in as we fervently attempt to push ourselves towards His goal for us? We plunge ahead with long strides, making it past strategically placed obstacles until we get close enough to take that last leap up with a beautiful lay-up, our legs flying through the air in anticipated triumph and then...SMACK. It's over. All over. And we must start over.

The promise of a free-throw is bittersweet.

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps, I have kept to his way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of his lips, I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.

Job 23: 10-12