Posting Up

The NCAA tournaments are always a blast to watch. I don’t know about you, but I love to see the key match-ups these games bring with great teams and great players.

Even though lacrosse was my primary sport, I loved to play basketball as a kid. I loved to invest hours in front of our driveway hoop over the garage. At 6-foot-1, I didn’t have much height for a forward, so I quickly learned the art and importance of posting up against the defense.

I found a great description online about what it means to post up: “Posting up is to establish a position in the low post, the area near the basket below the foul line, usually in order to take advantage of a smaller defender. As the offensive player, you usually face away from the basket, so that your body can protect the ball from the defender. You set a wide, stable stance, which gives you more power. Usually you can use your outside hand to get the ball, while your inside hand can fend off the defense and keep control. You call for the ball. From this position, options such as spinning or backing down the defender to close in to the basket for better scoring opportunities become available to you.”

At times, when you see big players posting up, it appears to be an all-out battle. Those athletes are doing whatever it takes to get position and get the ball. Even though I don’t post up on the court like I used to, I know that I do a different type of posting up every day. It’s a battle, and it’s for positioning, but it’s not about basketball. This kind of posting up involves me and the Lord.

Every morning, I post up to get the Word of God in me. Since I joined His team, I’ve realized that I have to call for the Word daily and seek His face. I need to be ready, prepared. I have to post up. Take a second right now to reread that official description of posting up, but read it in spiritual terms. It makes a big difference and great analogy, doesn’t it?

When it comes to the spiritual post-up, I’ve learned three helpful tips:

1. Establish position. Many people have never gained position over the competition—the flesh, the devil and the world. We need to face away from the competition and live a separated life (Romans 12:1-2). We must have a strong stance and not be rocked by this world. We need to stand strong against the opponent. It’s a daily battle.
2. Call for the ball. You don’t post up for the fun of it, but to get the ball. Are you calling out to the Lord and asking Him to show up and to speak to you? To reveal to you the deeper things? He desires to pass His Word to you daily, but you need to ask for it.
3. Make a play and score. Once you get the ball, you are in the position to make an impact. Each day, when you fill up with God’s Word, you are ready to serve, minister, love and invest in others.

The Lord is ready to pass you the ball. He wants to bless you each day as you post up. Our competition is tough, and many things get position on us and try to prevent us from posting up. It’s an all out war for our souls, and whatever the opponent needs to do to distract you, he will do it. Maybe you need to post up right now and call upon the Lord. Know that He is waiting for you. Make space for Him to speak to you. Practice the discipline of posting up. Understanding the power it brings. Remember, the Lord loves to see His players establishing position, calling for the ball and making a play.