Like a straightforward coach before a big game, God lays out a winning strategy. He defines the path to life, to victory. And He shares what must be avoided, the ways that will kill a team, a mission, a person. That’s good, critical coaching!

At a deeper level, God also wants us to see that the way of life starts with death … and that the way of death starts with apparent life. The death that leads to life is a death to pride and surrender of self. It’s a daily death. The life that leads to death is a life self-consumed, self-driven, self-defined, self-justifying. It is a daily deception.

In Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection we especially see these two paths playing out. We see death-to-life fleshed out so powerfully in Jesus. And we see life-to-death fleshed out so tragically in the lives of the rebellious and the indifferent self-righteous.

Praise God that He has set before us two ways to go: toward life and toward death. And He’s both shown the way and paved the way in Jesus. Athletes, follow His road signs and good coaching to victory.

Prayer to consider today: Lord, keep coaching us towards life and victory. We don’t want to lose. Show us the way of life. And help us to be courageous and trust even if that means dying comes first.