There was a skinny young boy who loved football with all his heart.  Practice
after practice, he eagerly gave everything he had. But being half the size of
the other boys, he got absolutely nowhere. At all the games this hopeful
athlete sat on the bench and hardly ever played. This teenager lived alone
with his father, and the two of them had a very special relationship. Even
though the boy was always on the bench, his father was always in the stands
cheering.  He never missed a game.

    This young man was still the smallest of the class when he entered high
school. But his father continued to encourage him but also made it very clear
that he did not have to play football if he didn't want to. But the young man
loved football and decided to hang in there. He was determined to try his best
at every practice, and perhaps he'd get to play when he became a senior. All
through high school he never missed a practice nor a game but remained a
bench-warmer all four years. His faithful father was always in the stands,
always with words of encouragement for him.
 
    When the young man went to college, he decided to try out for the football
team as a "walk-on." Everyone was sure he could never make the cut, but he
did.

    The coach admitted that he kept him on the roster because he always put his
heart and soul into every practice, and at the same time, provided the other
members with the spirit and hustle they badly needed. 
 
    The news that he had survived the cut thrilled him so much that he rushed  to
the nearest phone and called his father. His father shared his excitement and
sent for season tickets for all the college games.

    This persistent young athlete never missed practice during his four years at
college, but he never got to play in a game. It was the end of his senior
football season, and as he trotted onto the practice field shortly before the
big playoff game, the coach met him with a telegram.  The young man read the
telegram and he became deathly silent. Swallowing hard, he mumbled to the
coach, "My father died this morning. Is it all right if I miss practice
today?"

    The coach put his arm gently around his shoulder and said, "Take the rest
of the week off, son. And don't even plan to come back to the game on
Saturday."
 
    Saturday arrived, and the game was not going well. In the third quarter, when
the team was ten points behind, a silent young man quietly slipped into the
empty locker room and put on his football gear. As he ran onto the sidelines,
the coach and his players were astounded to see their faithful teammate back
so soon.
 
    "Coach, please let me play. I've just got to play today," said the young man.
The coach pretended not to hear him. There was no way he wanted his worst
player in this close playoff game. But the young man persisted, and finally
feeling sorry for the kid, the coach gave in. "All right," he said. "You can
go in."
 
    Before long, the coach, the players and everyone in the stands could not
believe their eyes. This little unknown, who had never played before was doing
everything right. The opposing team could not stop him. He ran, he passed,
blocked, and tackled like a star. His team began to triumph. The score was
soon tied. In the closing seconds of the game, this kid intercepted a pass and
ran all the way for the winning touchdown.
 
    The fans broke loose. His teammates hoisted him onto their shoulders.  Such
cheering you never heard. Finally, after the stands had emptied and the team
had showered and left the locker room, the coach noticed that this young man
was sitting quietly in the corner all alone. The coach came to him and said,
"Kid, I can't believe it. You were fantastic!  Tell me what got into you?  How
did you do it?
 
    He looked at the coach, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Well, you knew my
Dad died, but did you know that my Dad was blind?"
 
    The young man swallowed hard and forced a smile, "Dad came to all my games,
but today was the first time he could see me play, and I wanted to show him I
could do it!"
 
    Like the athlete's father, GOD is always there cheering for us. He's always
reminding us to go on. He's even offering us His hand for He knows what is
best, and is willing to give us what we need and not simply what we want. God
has never missed a single game.
 
    What a joy to know that life is meaningful if lived for the Highest. Live for
Him for He's watching us in the game of life. Amen.

Author unknown.