Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy. Psalm 47:1 (ESV)
It's Friday night anywhere in Alabama. Fans pour into the high school stadium for this week's big football game, and the air buzzes with anticipation. The band plays the school fight song as the home team runs out onto the field, led by pom-pom waving cheerleaders. Everyone applauds the school colors as they rise to their feet cheering and clapping, shouting for victory. The coaches discuss last-minute changes to the game plan. One team will taste victory and the other defeat. But what will victory cost?
The same thing happens the next day at most colleges around the country. People are crawling over one another to get to the campus. They tailgate and they celebrate past victories and anticipate the one to come. The anticipation is almost unbearable. The band is marching around the field playing the fight song and the fans are getting excited for the kick off. The people at home are as excited about the game starting as the ones that are in the stadium. In all this I must ask the same question, What will the victory cost?
The psalm above describes a similar scene. Instead of honoring a team of finely tuned athletes, it is a celebration honoring and praising the Lord Most High. But the mood and anticipation of victory is the same. The game plan is already in play. What is different about this celebration? The difference is that unlike a football game, we are already assured of victory. It came to us at the cross, the atoning sacrifice that produced eternal salvation for all who believe. It was not an easy victory, though; the price was the precious blood of the incarnate God. What greater reason to celebrate than our victory in Jesus?
Football is a great thing. It teaches young men hard work, discipline, and sportsmanship but it is a terrible god. You can not save your soul by being an Alabama fan, an Auburn fan, or even a Razorback fan. The thing that I am trying to understand is how I can get so excited about a football game that has no eternal meaning but I have trouble getting as excited about being in God's house hearing His word. That raises another question, Do I know as much scripture as I do about the kids that my team is recruiting? Do I know the word of God like I know the history of my favorite team? All these things are great in their place but they should never take the place of God in my heart or in my life.
We are all going to worship at the feet of the one that made our salvation possible one day and I believe that it will be more exciting that any game I gave ever been to. Shouldn't we be as prepared for that day as we are for Friday Night or Saturday?
It's Friday night anywhere in Alabama. Fans pour into the high school stadium for this week's big football game, and the air buzzes with anticipation. The band plays the school fight song as the home team runs out onto the field, led by pom-pom waving cheerleaders. Everyone applauds the school colors as they rise to their feet cheering and clapping, shouting for victory. The coaches discuss last-minute changes to the game plan. One team will taste victory and the other defeat. But what will victory cost?
The same thing happens the next day at most colleges around the country. People are crawling over one another to get to the campus. They tailgate and they celebrate past victories and anticipate the one to come. The anticipation is almost unbearable. The band is marching around the field playing the fight song and the fans are getting excited for the kick off. The people at home are as excited about the game starting as the ones that are in the stadium. In all this I must ask the same question, What will the victory cost?
The psalm above describes a similar scene. Instead of honoring a team of finely tuned athletes, it is a celebration honoring and praising the Lord Most High. But the mood and anticipation of victory is the same. The game plan is already in play. What is different about this celebration? The difference is that unlike a football game, we are already assured of victory. It came to us at the cross, the atoning sacrifice that produced eternal salvation for all who believe. It was not an easy victory, though; the price was the precious blood of the incarnate God. What greater reason to celebrate than our victory in Jesus?
Football is a great thing. It teaches young men hard work, discipline, and sportsmanship but it is a terrible god. You can not save your soul by being an Alabama fan, an Auburn fan, or even a Razorback fan. The thing that I am trying to understand is how I can get so excited about a football game that has no eternal meaning but I have trouble getting as excited about being in God's house hearing His word. That raises another question, Do I know as much scripture as I do about the kids that my team is recruiting? Do I know the word of God like I know the history of my favorite team? All these things are great in their place but they should never take the place of God in my heart or in my life.
We are all going to worship at the feet of the one that made our salvation possible one day and I believe that it will be more exciting that any game I gave ever been to. Shouldn't we be as prepared for that day as we are for Friday Night or Saturday?
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