From Falling to Fumbling

A story of a father picking up his fumble

By Scott Haima, CSB Regional Director

 

CSB has been partnering for the last several years with the Iron Sharpens Iron Ministry to sponsor Equipping Conferences for men. I was privileged to lead a team of men to launch a new conference this past month in Rochester New York with an attendance of 504 men all thirsty to hear the word of God and to be challenged and equipped to run with endurance the race to which we’ve been called. I opened the conference with a verse and challenge.

"Therefore, brothers, be diligent to confirm your calling and election,  For if you practice these things, you will never fall."  1 Peter 2:10

I then related falling to fumbling - that we as husbands, fathers, men - fumble and drop the ball often.  When a running back is prone to fumbling, the coach sometimes makes him carry it all day, during classes, lunch - and never put it down.  So I asked one man from each age  group who came to this conference with the intention to gain the tools necessary to stop fumbling in a specific area of his life to come up and take the ball.  Before I introduced our speaker I gently asked for the balls back at the end of the conference.  When I went to the back, one of the men came up to me and asked if he could keep the football. He told me that he has a 12 year old son and he has dropped the ball and hasn't been in his a life in any significant way.  He wants to be back in his life and to be the Dad he needs to be.  His son came to the conference with him, and they had a great reconciliation day and he asked for the football as a reminder.  I was almost in tears, and said of course he can keep it!

The revivals that last don’t begin with eruptions of emotion. They begin like this, with one father hearing the gospel call and responding by turning his heart toward his son. Please pray for this man and the countless men like him who now know they have fumbled the ball and desire in the strength that God gives to run with endurance the race that has been set before him.