Essay – Call
For The Ball
When John
was a teenager, one of my favorite things was to play basketball with him. He and his friends always invited me to play
with them. It was a treasured time for me.
I loved watching John play. He
was better than I ever was. He can jump
and play with a natural athleticism. He inherited his Mother’s lean physic and
my height and brilliant shooting ability (ok so he got that last one on his
own).
I noticed
that John’s style of play was much like his personality – quiet, determined,
supportive. He would set screens for other
players then skyrocket over others to grab a rebound and put it back in the
hoop. He is a very good shooter. He makes it seem smooth and effortless. One
day, in my efforts to coach John, I told him that he should “call for the ball”
more because he is such a good shot and can score so easily. However, as I watch John more and more, I
realize that John’s style is his own, it is good, and I love that about him. He doesn’t need to be the center of attention
to enjoy playing.
My favorite times were when he and I
were on the same team. When I had the
ball, I could toss it up to John at seemingly impossible locations. He would leap
in the air, make an incredible grab and then make the basket. It made me feel like I was great, but it was really
all him. John was such a great player
and really fun to play with and to be around.
Now to my
imperfect analogy; there are times in life where we all feel lonesome. Not because we don’t have people around us,
but because we feel that God is just not paying much attention to us. While knowing better, we feel perhaps it was
because we aren’t good enough, or doing the right things. We know, of course, that it is all our own
perception. We know he is there, yet we
still have those feelings of loneliness.
There are
times when I need to remember to “call for the ball” . These are times when I
am struggling and need help. I need to raise my hand and say, “Here!” “I’m here and ready for you to help!” Asking for help is like calling for the
ball. If you don’t ask, you will rarely
get it.
There are
many examples in our own lives, where we have called to our Heavenly Father for
help and guidance and he has responded – often through the personal revelation
that comes from the Holy Spirit.
I like to
picture God as the perfect basketball partner – standing ready to pass the ball
to me, as soon as I am in position: always looking, always ready to pass the
ball. He is ready to help. All I have to
do is put myself into position and then call for the ball.
Then to
finish with this funny analogy, I hope I can pass the ball back up, like I did
with John. God will jump, rise above
everyone, make an amazing catch, and score the point! Then we win!
And it will make me feel great - a winner!
Then we will sit side by side, catching our breath, and He will look at me the same way I look at John – with love and pride. He will say, “That was fun!”