I recently finished reading Tony Dungy’s memoir, Quiet Strength. I enjoy football and I can get into watching a good game, but I couldn’t say that I’m a big fan. To the best of my knowledge I’ve never screamed at the television set. I also don’t obsess over scores or players.
At our first BSF leader’s meeting a number of the guys mentioned that they had read Dungy’s book over the summer so I decided to pick it up. It is a very good biography and an excellent book on tape, read by the author. Tony recounts the trials and tribulations that he has observed and been a part of from growing up through the Colt’s Superbowl championship. Tony is a man of God and his faith and commitment to the Word are evident throughout everything. It would be a good read for that story and the encouragement it provides alone.
But, what really struck me was how many sentences in the book Tony begins with the word “God.” “God had this move in mind for us”, “God was with us”, “God is faithful to us”. It made me think about the “walk of faith” that we so often talk about. In Tony’s life it is clear that in his walk he is just to the side and one step behind our Lord, always keeping an eye and doing his best to let things happen in God’s time and at His pace. It made me think about how many times I rush ahead, then fall to my knees praying that God will come find me when I get lost. Or, the other times I’m behind, but pushing God to hurry up and take me the direction I want to go.
An old hymn came to mind as I thought more and more about the lesson that Tony provides of daily devotion, unashamed profession of faith, pray and praise through everything:
I am weak, but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I’ll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.
Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.
When my feeble life is o’er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o’er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.
The Notes are Good 