So many significant sports events happening as I write—the U.S. Open (golf), the NBA Finals (basketball), and the Word Cup (football/soccer). If they can help it, serious fans will not miss any of the games. They get excited with the thought of game time. They do everything they can to watch the games of their favorite sport—watching TV coverage as they happen, checking the latest developments or stats in their tablets or smartphones, or, the ultimate action, buying (outrageously expensive) tickets and watching the games live. Schedules and appointments are adjusted accordingly. It’s like everything else—even life itself—stops for the sake of the games.
I’m sort of a sports fan myself. I do enjoy watching and following certain sports events. I cheer and whoop for the teams I root for when they are doing well; I get concerned when they are failing. And those times when the score is tight, I can get quite antsy. Yet I am nowhere close to the devotion of serious fans to their sport of choice. I can easily forego watching games and will not feel like I lost anything. Not so with ardent sports fans. They just have to be watching when the sports event is in progress. It is their joy.
Oh that we would show the same devotion and excitement for the things of God. For example …
- Worship: “When they said, ‘Let’s go to the house of GOD,’ my heart leaped for joy” (Psalm 122.1 The Message).
- Word: “Instead you thrill to GOD’S Word, you chew on Scripture day and night” (Psalm 1.2 The Message).
- Welfare: “They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians” (2 Corinthians 8.3–4 The Message).
- Witness: “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known” (Romans 15.20 NIV).
- Will of God: “My food is to do the will of the one who sent me and to complete his work” (John 4.34 NET).
It might be worthwhile to ask ourselves what perks us up, what excites us, what drives us to do what we do. What gives me joy in this life?
—Keith Y. Jainga