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Wrong
Way Riegels
On
New Year's Day, 1929, Georgia Tech played the
University
of
California
in the Rose Bowl. During the first half of the game a
player by the name of Roy Riegels recovered a fumble
for
California
on his own thirty-five yard line. In evading some of
the Georgia Tech tacklers, Riegels became confused. He
started running sixty-five yards in the wrong
direction. One of his teammates, Benny Lom, outran him
and tackled him on the one yard line just before
Riegels was about to score for Georgia Tech. Then, on
the next play, when
California
attempted to punt out of its end zone, Tech blocked
the kick and scored a safety, which was the ultimate
margin of victory.
That
strange play came near the end of the first half.
Everyone watching the game was asking the same
question: "What will coach Nibbs Price do with
Roy Riegels in the second half?" The players
filed off the field and trudged into the dressing
room. They sat down on the benches and on the floor.
All but Riegels. He pulled his blanket around his
shoulders, and sat down in a corner, put his face in
his hands, and wept like a baby.
A
coach usually has a great deal to say to his team
during half-time. That afternoon coach Price was
quiet. No doubt he was trying to decide what to do
with Riegels. Then the timekeeper came in and
announced that there were three minutes before playing
time. Coach Price looked at the team and said simply, "Men,
the SAME team that started the first half will start
the second."
The
players got up and started out -- all but Roy Riegels.
He didn't budge. The coach looked back and called to
him again. Still Riegels didn't move. Coach Price
walked over to Riegels and said, "
Roy
, didn't you hear me? The same team that started the
first half will start the second." Roy Riegels
looked up and his cheeks were wet with tears.
"Coach,"
he said, "I can't do it. I've disgraced you. I've
disgraced the
University
of
California
. I've disgraced myself. I couldn't face that
crowd to save my life."
Then
Coach Nibbs Price put his hand on Riegels shoulder and
said, "
Roy
, get up and go on back.... the game is only half
over."
Roy
Riegels did go back, and those Tech players testified
that they had seldom seen a man play as Roy Riegels
did in that second half. *
Roy
Riegels isn’t the ONLY one that has gone the wrong
way… All
of us have! “For
all have sinned (have gone the wrong way) and fall
short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
But
because of His great love for us, God came to us in
the person of His Son, Jesus Christ, and put a
forgiving, nail-printed hand on our shoulder and said,
"Get up; go on back. The game is only half
over."
Jesus
paid the price for our sins by dying on the cross for
us (2 Cor 5:21).
We may accept His offer of forgiveness by believing
in Him (Acts 16:30-31), turning from the wrong
direction to follow Him (repentance,
Acts 17:30-31), confessing
Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized
(immersed) in His name for the forgiveness of sins
(Acts 2:38). Then
we can share in HIS victory IF we will continue to
follow Him faithfully (1 John 1:7).
Going
the wrong way? The
game’s not over.
Turn from sin, follow Jesus,
and YOU will be
victorious!
David A. Sargent,
Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
* Haddon Robinson, http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/robinson_4017.htm
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