The standings 

Fall represents so many things it’s signals the trees to shed their leaves and people to dig out sweaters tucked into the back of the closet it means backpacks and school buses it’s the season of pumpkin everything from lattes to candles and of course pie in our family it is the beginning of something else as well football season. Everything is at stake for the teams based on their standings determined by a board who soul purpose is to decide who is the best. A team that was number one for months might find itself at number 25 after just one loss. Do you ever feel like that in your Christian walk you have those seasons when you feel on top of your faith game you’re attending church every time the doors are open you are reading the Bible daily and involved in three different life groups you witness to your neighbors coworkers even the cashier at your grocery store all in one week you’re feeling number one in the Christian rankings then there are those seasons when your fate doesn’t even feel the size of a mustard seed maybe you had your feelings hurt by someone at church you find yourself making excuses not to attend in an effort to avoid facing the pain of confronting them maybe you had your feelings hurt by a friend or family member life becomes overwhelming and your schedule is full. Bible study attendance drops off fear of rejection keep your mouth close when you are presented with opportunities to share the love of Jesus and shame creeps and as a result you feel the grip on your number one standing slip as you mentally move yourself further and further down the rankings. The Psalmist David felt the crippling effect of defeat and cried out to God “I am bowed down and brought very low all day long I go about morning I am feeble and utterly crushed I grown and anguish of heart my heart pounds my strength fails me even the light has gone from my eyes” psalms 38:6,8,10
King David should have been feeling like he was ranked number one in God’s eyes he was the king of Israel and got had even called David a man after his own heart yet these words in Psalms show that David wasn’t feeling like number one in fact David wonder if God even saw him anymore 
“ My God , why have you forsaken me ? Why are you so far from saving me , so far from my cries in anguish”psalms 22:1 
are you feeling like David ? crying out to God feeling for sake in alone struggling to find your place your footing you’re standing in the world and world that judges you on your performance instead , of your intentions do you feel like to talk to your game one week carrying the ball to the end zone and then the next week tackled by life ? lying under the crushing pile of worried and out maybe you had the wind knocked out of you one time too many and you decide it’s not worth it to even play the game anymore. Let me share something with you , my friend Our standing .. our value … our worth has already been decided . It was decided many , many years ago . It was decided on a tree on a hill , the Cross , by a man who was God . He took on our enemy , in the greatest arena that had ever existed… and He won ! 
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus “ romans 8:1
He did this so your judgment would be covered by his sacrifice he did this so your mistakes and failures would no longer determine you’re standing in the kingdom of God. 
“ [All] are just a fight and made up right in the right standing with God freely and gratuitously by his grace [His unmerited favor and mercy ] through the redemption which is [provided] in Christ Jesus “ Romans 3:24 (Ampc version )
There is just one rank and one rank only that has been given to you my sister in Christ, and it is as the daughter of the one true King . Stand fast in that knowledge and know that this week , and the next and the next after that , your worth has already been established , once and for all .