Don’t Waste Your Sports – Super Bowl Recap

Well, my San Francisco Niners put up a valiant effort last night – coming back from a 28-6 deficit to make this game competitive and even have the outcome in their hands in the final 2 minutes. They had every opportunity to not only take the lead but to win this game and become the 1st team to go 6-0 in Super Bowls. But the Ravens made defensive plays when they had to – thanks to guys like Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs.

I rarely get to watch the Super Bowl because in my time zone (CST), it begins about half an hour before our evening service and by the time I get home after church the 4th quarter is half-way done. Growing up in Oklahoma, the only Super Bowls I usually got to watch were games that happened on days when snow had fallen and we were unable to get to church. Watching last night’s game from start to finish was a fun opportunity.

As you know by now, these Monday features with a sports theme are spiritually driven and mostly are for my own heart as I fight idolatry with sports and continue to mature in the area of seeing sports as a grace of God and not a competing affection with Him.

I wasn’t always this way; there would be times in the past where the outcomes of sporting events that involved by team would influence my thinking and sometimes my behavior. I allowed this grace to become an idol and win over my heart that is supposed to be given to God for worship (I Cor 10:31).

What happened? What has changed? Answer: Sanctification. As I prayed more and more for God’s help in this area of my life and began to see the real problem in my heart some 10 years ago, God was gracious enough to enable and equip me to fight this idolatry.

Today, I actually love sports more than I used to and yet aren’t as concerned about outcomes either. If you are with me when I am watching my beloved OU Sooners or SF Niners or LA Lakers or SF Giants, you will experience loud cheers, pacing, etc. But worshiping God is something I have enjoyed to do during these events and not worshiping man.

God is good; sports are fun!