Countdown to Sunday...What or Who Will You Worship this Weekend?

Its Friday again...its getting warmer. Sunday, it might be in the lower to middle 50's...sounds like a great worship day! And I do mean, a great day to worship God - not football or a football team.

About eight years ago, I went with my brother to a Colts vs Seahawks preseason game in Indianapolis. My brother, who was a chaplain working with the Colts at that time, had invited me to go to the pre-game chapel service and the pre-game meal. I had been to a couple Colts chapel services before so I wasn't really caught up in the stardom thing anymore. We had a good chapel service where about twenty players and coaches attended. The pre-game meal followed where my bother and I sat and had fellowship with about five players at our particular table. It was fun and it was ministry. However, what really stood out to me was how I felt when we walked into the dome later on that evening to attend the exhibition game.

We had mvp passes that were complimentary and we were escorted down right behind the bench. On the way in and when we got to our seats, we saw all of these crazy fans coming in wearing their jerseys, with their faces painted, and paying at least $35 a person to watch this preseason game. They were excited to be there and rightfully so. But for my brother and I, it was different. We were looking through different lens. We had just ministered the Word of God to these guys. We prayed with them. Some shared personal problems, some things that they were dealing with - not football stuff. Real life stuff...struggles, temptations, and everyday life concerns. Later, we sat and ate with them. Shook hands with them and hugged some of them that were fellow believers. At that point and time, we just didn't see them like the fan in the seats saw them.

Still to this day, when I think of NFL football players, I appreciate their great talent, their work-ethic, and really can't relate to their star-treatment; but I still see them as normal young men who have needs like everyone else. I often am amazed how desperate we often are as humans to created mini-gods out of human beings...how easy it is to become more than just fans, but even worshippers of fallible mere mortals who might do one thing very well. Its no wonder that one of the first commandments that God gave Moses was to put no other god before the one and true God. God created us with this vacuum-need of worship and I guess He knew man would worship something or somebody to fill the void.

So I will be watching Sunday when the Colts play the Jets...Lord-willing. However, what I am excited most about is another Lord's day to worship the one great, Almighty, Wonderful, Savior, Jesus Christ. He died for my sins. He has given me eternal life, peace, joy, forgiveness, and redemption. All of those things and more, no football team can offer me.

Enjoy your weekend!

-Pastor