I watched the volleyball game between Fresno Christian and Firebaugh on Sept. 20. I really had not planned to be there, but because I did not have enough parents to drive my tennis team back to Fresno, I had no choice.

While watching the game, I noticed the girls? play on the court had direct parallels to the Christian life. It all had to do with the bump, set and spike.

Proper body position is required; a bump calls for knees to be bent, hands together and head down to watch ball make proper contact with their forearms. Not a bad position for prayer: knees bent, hands together, head down.

After the bump came the set. I noticed the setters would fully extend their arms above their heads as they set the ball to the hitter. Watching them with their hands up and heads tilted back reminded me of our position before God in worship.

After the set, I watched how one of the girls would leap high into the air and smash the ball down into the opponents’ court. It was amazing to me to see how high these girls could jump!

But I also noticed that if the ball was not bumped properly and the set performed correctly, there would be no spike. There would be no victory.

I was reminded that in the Christian life, we need each other.

So there I was in the Firebaugh High School gym getting a sermon on the Christian Life while watching a volleyball game.

I left there that night wondering, ?How is my bump, set and spike??

George Freeman has been the varsity girls’ tennis coach for 18 years.