The Houston Oilers coasted into halftime with a 25-point lead against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17 of the NFL season in the 1992 AFC wild-card round. Halftime is a critical time in any game. No matter the score, there is always time for an amazing comeback or a disastrous setback, such as when the Oilers squandered their 28-3 lead going into halftime. Backup quarterback Frank Reich mounted a comeback with four touchdown passes in the second half. Buffalo won the game 41-38 and completed the largest comeback victory in NFL history.

1 Kings 8-9 – Fading Glory

What happens in the second half determines the outcome of a football game. Life operates on the same rules as Solomon’s unsuccessful second half. He had enjoyed much success twenty years into his reign by accomplishing personal and national goals. He had helped bring glory and prosperity to his nation, but his second half was a failure.

At age forty-four, Solomon had achieved all he desired to do (9:1). He had become the nation’s most successful king. In building his kingdom, he had made compromises with God’s standards that had devastating long-term consequences. By the end of chapter 10 in 1 Kings, nearly all his success would disappear within just a few years. He had allowed his accomplishments to be his measure of success rather than faithfulness to God. He was living for success rather than living for significance.

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete guard their hearts against allowing success to become an idol that turns them away from faithfulness to God..

Bible Memory Verse – “And Yahweh said to him (Elijah), “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and you will arrive and anoint Hazael king over Aram; and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.” 1 Kings 19:15-16 (LSB)