“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed” – Proverbs 16:3 (CEB)
So now we know who will play in the Super Bowl! On February 11, the San Francisco 49ers will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas. This should be a good contest with numerous story lines to consider and discuss. We are now in a time of waiting before the game begins.
The lead-up to the Super Bowl is two weeks in length. There are reasons behind this. Appropriate time is needed so the game can be hyped. Travel plans also need to be arranged for all the parties. Furthermore, the coaching staffs on both teams need to establish a game plan. This is the biggest game of the year.
Preparation is critical in all walks of life too. It is a horrifying thought for me to come to church on Sunday morning and not be prepared for worship. I am sure it is horrifying for many of you to lead a meeting or a small group discussion or a go on a trip without some preparation ahead of time. I think about words from Alexander Graham Bell who said, “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
The problem with preparation though, is that is it not always a lot of fun. Many of us don’t look forward to it. The time to plan for what comes next is often boring and uninteresting. We want to hurry up and get to the good stuff. This is understandable.
Fortunately, there a things we can do. We can work to understand better what we are preparing for. We can ask the “why” behind our work and how our work connects to the big picture. We can also pace ourselves. We don’t need to do everything right away and we don’t want to wait until the last minute. Finally, we can see the benefit of setting aside time to prepare. Write it on the calendar and have a finishing time.
Might we enjoy the lead-up to the big game in Vegas! Might we also see the advantage that comes from preparation today! Peace and blessings, Scott