NBA free agency took another wild turn with the announcement of LeBron James leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers and signing a huge deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. The news has turned the NBA upside down and there is tremendous intrigue as to how this plays out for LA, LeBron, and the overall league.
The main focus is how the exciting move impacts the Lakers, but the flipside is the tough reality that the Cavs have to watch the best player in the world walk out on them...again!
Cavs fans embraced LeBron's return in 2014 after he left them for Miami. Fortunately for Cleveland, he delivered a championship while he was back, but now he's leaving these supportive fans behind.
As much as they appreciate the time he spent there, it's understandable they are feeling disappointed and discouraged that he'll be wearing purple and gold from now on. They hoped he would stick around this time, but instead, he bolted for the bright lights of LA.
In sports and life, the occurrence of people coming in and going out of our lives is common. We can feel pain and discouragement when friends move to another city or coworkers find a new job or people end marriages. Sometimes these experiences can cause us to lack trust or fear being left behind.
Although loyalty is often hard to find with people and life’s circumstances, we should be encouraged that God doesn't operate the same way.
In Deuteronomy 31:6-8 (ESV), Moses explains to Israel that Joshua will become their new leader. He says:
“'Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.’ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, 'Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.'”
God’s character is revealed in this powerful passage, and to realize that He will not leave or forsake us is comforting. In other words, God won’t abandon us or leave us high and dry.
As sports fans, our favorite players will desert us at some point, and sadly the people in our lives will come and go.
But today, let’s praise the wonderful God we serve who goes with us and never leaves us.
