“Pistol”

My daughter Cris recently gave me the book “Pistol” by Mark Kriegel; it’s about the life of Pete Maravich. Growing up during the time of Pistol Pete, I was amazed at his skills…. he captured the world of sports…. he was bigger than life. For those of you who don’t know, “Maravich holds nearly every major NCAA scoring record, including highest career scoring average (44.2 ppg) and most career 50-point games (28). Magic Johnson says he was the original “Show Time” with its incredible passes and shots ….. well before its time.

It’s quite a story with many ups and downs… fame and money along with a tortured life of alcohol and drugs…seeking out every religion, pleasure, fad, diet… with all of it ending in turmoil. After retiring from the NBA, Pete finally gave his life to Christ and found the peace he’d been looking for. He became a powerful evangelist, using the same determination and enthusiasm he brought to the basketball court to serving the Lord. In 1988 while playing a pickup basketball game with Dr. James Dobson, he suddenly collapsed and died of a undetected heart defect…he was 40 years old.  

I was watching an old video of Pete speaking to a group about the Lord. His enthusiasm was electrifying. He had truly been converted. He held nothing back. Anyone looking to give a “measured response” to the Lord’s call were uncomfortable listening to him. I know that I was convicted.

In truth, for what God has done for us, the only response has to be 100%. So the point of today’s BLOG is that we should ask the Lord to wake us up from any lethargy that plagues us, that causes us to not give all to Christ, that tells us that we have done enough.

 Yet in all of this we need Christ to help us. In the words of St. Catherine of Sienna, “ My only trust is in God’s goodness…I know that I cannot trust in myself. I am always fearful because of my own weakness and the devil’s cleverness…yet as I turn to the cross of Christ …the devil has no power over me… keep living in God’s holy and tender love.” ( Magnificat, June 30, 2021,p. 421)

So, we have no reason to fear…. with Christ’s love and mercy, we will give all to the Lord, and  “all will be well with our soul”.