UNPACK this...Hope in the Midst of Troubling TimesSample

The Pivotal Play on 3rd and 15  

Although the Chiefs beat the 49ers 31-20 during Super Bowl LIV, when the 49ers were leading 20-10 with only 7:13 left to go in the 4th quarter, a different outcome seemed likely. 

The high-powered offense was struggling and their chances to win a Super Bowl were slim as they faced a 3rd and 15. But when MVP Patrick Mahomes threw a deep pass for a 44-yard completion to Tyreek Hill, there was an instant turning point in the game. 

The Chiefs scored a touchdown shortly after that and ended up scoring two more on their way to becoming the first team in Super Bowl history to score 21 points on offense in the fourth quarter.

As critical as that one play ended up being, I can’t help but think about the key moment before Mahomes threw the pass. Instead of panicking, losing hope, or holding onto the ball, his crucial long-throw sparked a climatic turning point!

When critical decisions and pivotal plays occur in sports, it’s usually when a game is about to slip away unless something drastic happens. Many of us are waiting for a turning point in our own lives. After struggling for “three and a half quarters,” we’re looking for an opening, an opportunity, and a way for everything to change.

“Game-changing” plays happen as a result of surrendering to Jesus and placing our hope in Him. He alters the course of our lives and provides the drastic change we need.

As we continue to follow Jesus, we find ourselves with “3rd and 15” choices that require our dependence on Him to show us which “play” He’s calling for us. Oftentimes, it means we have to take a step of faith and trust God to provide the necessary spark. 

Romans 15:13 offers us this hope: "I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Today, let’s thank God for the turning points He’s already provided…and the pivotal decisions He’ll help us make when we place our hope in Him.

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank You for providing the sparks in my life that lead to change. Please continue to transform me and help me make pivotal choices that align with Your will. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.