David had tears in his eyes as he related the story.

David “Coach” Nelson was speaking at my alma mater, Maritime Christian College in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. I was privileged to accompany him after we finished ministering at our church plant in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I met “Coach” at a men’s retreat. He was one of the speakers. Here was a former Marine who could string a couple of sentences together in a coherent fashion. I wanted to get to know this guy.

He has since come on staff at my church as the Men’s Ministry pastor, so I’ve heard some of his story. As a very successful football coach, he took his Christian high school team all the way to win the state championship. If you know anything about Texas, you know high school football coaches are like a royal priesthood (okay, maybe a slight exaggeration, but very slight). Coach has always mentored his players, and at the end of the season he tells them, “I’ll never be done with you,” sending them out into their future lives.

Last year he did a funeral service for one of his former players. As hard as it was to maintain his composure, harder still was extending comfort to all the former teammates who were in attendance. Individually, he reaffirmed his pledge to “never be done” with them.

On the last day of the conference, he received a call from one of his former players asking him to officiate at his wedding. After making sure that it wasn’t going to be tomorrow, he readily agreed to do the wedding next year. As he was finishing, the voice on the other end said, “I’ll never be done with you, Coach!” I got choked up just listening to him relate the story.

My mind went to a similar parting scene. Jesus and His disciples were on a mountain in Galilee. Jesus had His players in one last huddle. They needed a game plan. The Coach called the play. “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV).

Just like David’s players going off to future endeavors, leaving that coaching relationship, the disciples were facing the challenge of losing their “Coach,” their Master and Savior.

Jesus gives them the play. He tells them that He will be with them always, even to the end of the age. He would send a new Coach, the Holy Spirit, as his representative. He would be there with them 24/7 giving them the coaching they needed to turn the world upside down, to go for the prize. In a sense, He told them, “I will never be done with you!” He kept that promise. The team played on.

We are the team that continues to play today. The team hasn’t been listening to the Coach, and the defensive line has been pushed down into the opponent’s end of the field. But now there’s a new offensive line getting on the field. Peter tells us that the Coach, the Holy Spirit, is still there for the team. “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit [the Coach]. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:38-39).

He is the ultimate winning coach. He defeated death and He defeated the grave. If we get into the huddle, He will lead us down the field. We need to play like a team, not a bunch of individuals trying to run our own plays.

We’re in the final quarter, maybe at the two-minute warning. My Coach has promised me that He will never be done with me. My response to Him is, “Lord, I will never be done with You!” Let me ask you, Man of God: Are you ready to get in the huddle? Are you ready to join the offensive line and move the ball down the field? Will you say with me, “Lord, I will never be done with You”?

What say ye, Man of Valor?