Post by Barry on Nov 14, 2008 9:48:53 GMT -5
Those of you who know me well know that I am a pretty big football fan. My favorite NFL team is the Kansas City Chiefs, while my favorite college team is the Ohio State Buckeyes. So far this year, neither team is doing well, with the Chiefs only winning one game, and the Buckeyes having lost two (which is a lot for them!) at the time I write this article. While I’m not a complete lunatic when I watch my favorite teams play on television, I do find myself occasionally yelling at the screen, jumping off my chair, second guessing the coach’s as well as the official’s calls, and feeling anything from disappointment to jubilation, depending on how my team is playing.
If I could somehow observe myself while watching a game, I’d probably look pretty silly. Why get so excited over grown men trying to get a ball from one end of the field to the other? I mean, at the end of the day, does it really matter? If my team wins or loses, does it really change my life or the lives of others in any important way? Of course it doesn’t, yet I find myself getting excited nonetheless, and I know that many of you do too. Whether it is football, some other sport, hunting, crafts, or something else, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on things that in the long run, really don’t make any difference.
Sometimes I wonder about our dedication to trivial things in comparison to our level of commitment when it comes to living out a life dedicated to Christ. Do we get as excited about doing the work Jesus has called us to as we do about a ball game? When it comes to things eternal, is our focus squarely on the purpose that Jesus has worked into our hearts? In the game of life, we’re not called to be observers, but participants. And we know that we’re having a winning season when we can score with personal growth, leading others into a relationship with Christ, and find ourselves becoming more and more like the one that we follow. At the end of life, I want to make sure that my time has been well spent by focusing on things that have an eternal impact. That can only happen when I begin to understand the necessity of being transformed by Jesus Christ. How about you? Are you ready to get into the game?
In Christ,
Barry
God's Promises Now!
If I could somehow observe myself while watching a game, I’d probably look pretty silly. Why get so excited over grown men trying to get a ball from one end of the field to the other? I mean, at the end of the day, does it really matter? If my team wins or loses, does it really change my life or the lives of others in any important way? Of course it doesn’t, yet I find myself getting excited nonetheless, and I know that many of you do too. Whether it is football, some other sport, hunting, crafts, or something else, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on things that in the long run, really don’t make any difference.
Sometimes I wonder about our dedication to trivial things in comparison to our level of commitment when it comes to living out a life dedicated to Christ. Do we get as excited about doing the work Jesus has called us to as we do about a ball game? When it comes to things eternal, is our focus squarely on the purpose that Jesus has worked into our hearts? In the game of life, we’re not called to be observers, but participants. And we know that we’re having a winning season when we can score with personal growth, leading others into a relationship with Christ, and find ourselves becoming more and more like the one that we follow. At the end of life, I want to make sure that my time has been well spent by focusing on things that have an eternal impact. That can only happen when I begin to understand the necessity of being transformed by Jesus Christ. How about you? Are you ready to get into the game?
In Christ,
Barry
God's Promises Now!