The Angle of Pursuit

I have played and watched lots of football in my days. Those of us who have kids will also understand this terminology easily. My son Caleb reminds me of the angle of pursuit technique that is taught to beginning football players on day one of practice. It is the principle of open field tackling used while trying to catch the opponent. You see this when a running back or receiver breaks loose from the coverage or line and is running in the open field. Most times he will not be caught by someone running from directly behind him. He is usually caught and tackled by someone from clear across the other side or near the middle of the field. How can that happen? The angle of pursuit.
The defensive player cannot simply run straight at the offensive player or he will be long gone by the time he arrives at that spot. Most offensive players will also out run anyone who is chasing them directly from behind. So the intelligent defensive player must take an angle on him in order to catch and tackle the player before he reaches the end zone for the score. The defensive player must make a mental angle in there head which judges where they and the offensive player will likely meet based on the current speed they are going. Hopefully that spot is before the end zone! I also use this strategy when my son is trying to sneak past me or when he bolts to try and get away from me because he wants to go somewhere he is not allowed to be. I cut him off using this same method!

How does this relate to spiritual things? God has the ball and knows the plays. We are the defender. Often times His will is running amok in the open field of our lives and we are shell shocked and confused as to what it is. We can continue to lie on our backs after Satan has laid us out, or we can chase after the Lord and try desperately as Jacob did in the old Testament to wrestle Him to the ground and figure out His will for us. Many times we try and run sideways and hit that spot that was once where we were supposed to be but is now five steps behind the ball-carrier. Sometimes we try and run him down from behind, but are we really faster then the Lord? We have to take the "angle" on the Lord. We try and close the gap so we can figure out how to get His will for our lives. We draw close spiritually by prayer, Bible reading and spending time with other believers in accountable relationships. He wants to be tackled by us! He wants us to catch Him! But time cannot stand still while we sit by and watch our divinely planned out lives sprint by us. Take the angle of pursuit! Pursue God by engaging in the spiritual disciplines, then we will be able to catch Him and walk with Him to the end zone. For in reality, it was an interception and we are trying to block for Him so we can be one of those running into the end zone with Him as we triumph over the opponent. He has intercepted our lives. He acquired us as a costly free agent. He paid more then the market value. He wants to have us by His side. Take the angle so you can walk stride in stride with Him into the end zone which is His will for us. WHAT IF we all committed to seeking to walk stride in stride with Him into the will He has for us instead of sitting on the bench while He has to fight off would be tacklers on the opposition?