[Darris McNeely] Sports gives us so many opportunities to learn lessons, real important lessons, about life. This past weekend many of you probably saw one of the greatest endings to a college football game that's ever been done. The Auburn vs. Alabama match-up down in Alabama between these two great teams, one great rivalry. The game went down to the last second, and in an attempted field goal that could've won the game had it succeeded instead was received and run back for a touchdown. 109 yards with one second left on the game. Auburn beats Alabama. Alabama's undefeated season goes up in flames, and the whole national championship issue is turned upside down. It was a great game. It was a great finish. It's a great rivalry. It's a great sport. And as with so many other sports again we have lessons to learn that can help us draw some spiritual principles as well.

In Hebrews chapter 12:1 the Apostle Paul in one of his several references to races and running a race and enduring to the end makes this comment. He says, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,"

Hebrews 12:1. Let us run the race. We all have a race in life, and Paul is talking about the race or the effort toward the Kingdom of God and that goal of great price. When you watch a football game like this one and you see that it came down to one second and because of strategy, because of decisions made on the field by the coaches especially, one team came out capitalizing upon the weakness of another, and they won the game.

This is going to be talked about for a long, long time, but it can teach us an important lessons, many lessons really. It's never over until it's over. Don't give up, and run your race. Run your race to the end. In the end God will give us the victory. He can give us the victory if we don't give up, if we run with endurance and overcome in our own lives. Great lessons. Great opportunities. Great spiritual teaching.

That's BT Daily. Join us next time.