Sports Spectrum's "I Once Was" 5-Day Football DevotionalShembull

DUSTIN HOPKINS, NFL Kicker Dustin Hopkins thought he was a good kid growing up — “better than most” — and attended church enough to hear stories about Jesus. But at a Christmas Eve service when Dustin was 9, for the first time he actually had “ears to hear.” He heard the Gospel presented in a way that showed God had authority over his life. “Lord, I’m not good enough. Jesus, come into my life,” Dustin confessed that night. Ever since, God has proven His abounding mercy and grace time and time again. As Dustin realized, you are not God's gift to Planet Earth — Jesus is. Jesus came to be the sacrifice for our sins. His death bore the punishment we deserve, and His resurrection exhibits God's power over death. Because of God's mercy (forgiving us of our sins through Jesus) and grace (the undeserved gift of eternal life), we must submit to His authority. Like Dustin, none of us are good enough on our own to earn God's favor. But we receive it when we allow Him to be the Lord of our life.