It was one of the most gruesome injuries in all sports. It was a leg bending the way it’s not supposed to, and it was shown in front of a national audience on November 18, 1985. It was a Monday Night Football game between Washington Redskins and the New York Giants. Lawrence Taylor sacked Redskins quarterback Joe Theisman, which broke his tibia and ended his NFL career. It happens instantly for some athletes—one misstep, one quick twist, one bad break. For others, it’s the end of a long, hard road—multiple injuries, a series of surgeries, months spent working and waiting. Either way, there is a point of no return for the athlete.

1 Kings 21-22 – Rejected Warnings

The book of 1 King closes with Ahab reaching the point of no return when he refuses to listen to the prophet Micaiah, who warned him of defeat. King Ahab “did more evil in the eyes of the Lord than any of those before him” (1 Kings 16:30). Though Ahab finally repented, it only postponed the destruction of his dynasty until after his death. The prophesied judgment against Ahab came true precisely as Elijah predicted.

The Lord had been gracious and patient toward Ahab despite the depth of his sin and rebellion. There’s an important lesson for every athlete or coach from Ahab’s life. You might be able to ignore God’s Word or fight against it, but ultimately, you cannot evade or defeat it. God honors those who are committed to doing what is right in His eyes.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete pay attention to God’s Word rather than ignoring or refusing to obey it. They know the Word of God can’t be controlled or defeated by human opposition.

Bible Memory Verse – “So Yahweh was very angry with Israel and caused them to depart from His presence; none was left except the tribe of Judah alone.” 2 Kings 17:18 (LSB)