Video of the Day: ESPN Classic College Basketball Upsets “Saint Joseph’s Upsets Depaul”
Bible Verse of the Day:
David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” – 1 Samuel 17:26
Biblical Connection:
After each season, sports evaluate certain loopholes in their rules, making adjustments the following season to improve the natural flow of a game. Depaul’s loss to St. Joseph was directly related to the rule that forced fouled players to make their first free throw before receiving another one. After scoring, St. Joseph players immediately fouled Depaul to stop the clock and force Depaul to make the front end of a one and one. Prior to 1981, fouls could continue without a modern two-shot bonus after the 10th foul on a team.
The crucial ingredient for David defeating Goliath was a belief and confidence that victory could be earned. The prophet Samuel quotes the words of David who understood that God was more powerful than the physical giant that stood in his way. As sports reporters talked to members from both teams after the St. Joseph upset, Depaul players expected St. Joseph to simply lay down in fear. However, whenever you allow a lesser team to stick around, belief and confidence grows. This element has made college basketball a place where modern David beat Goliath teams every season.
Closing Song:
Skip Dillard, a member of this team, never fully recovered from Depaul’s loss. Dillard ended up going to jail, devastated by a loss that defined his life. If today’s devotion finds you hurting, may the lyrics of today’s song help you recover from the defeats, failures and pain from your past.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 