While The Games Are Played!

Let me preface today’s focus with the fact I in no way mean to put down those who love football. Some of my close brethren and friends are avid football fans. I also do not intend to imply that these individuals have lost their perspective on life. However, such can become a very real possibility.

Football fans in our area have been hyped about Sunday’s football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers; an important game to see who is going on to the Super Bowl. But as I watched the news Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, I almost felt like there must be nothing else going on in the world than this Sunday football game. Though I would like to see the Seattle Seahawks go on to the Super Bowl this year, for me the amount of attention our local newscasts were giving to this one news item was more than I personally felt necessary and said so to my wife. I was interested to find out news of other happenings across the country and around the world. Yet for several nights I almost felt like the only SIGNIFICANT thing going on was this upcoming football game.

With my mind already struck in such a way, Saturday evening while going online I noticed a little news clip on the computer screen that I just had to click on. It was news about two more West Virginia miners who, despite valiant efforts to escape, had died following a conveyor belt fire. I asked my wife if she had seen that on the news and she hadn’t. I couldn’t help shake from my mind the fact that during the midst of all the hype about a football game there were LIVES LOST and the lives of families had been dramatically impacted.

Watching sports or involvement in other activities can be a wonderful outlet and a good break from the day to day serious stuff of life. However, while the games are played and various activities are enjoyed, LIFE IS HAPPENING and LIVES ARE IMPACTED. We need to not lose sight of that which is of the greatest consequence. This football season will come to an end with a team and its fans gaining the bragging rights for the season, but next year it will be a whole new ballgame! The SIGNIFICANCE of each season seems to diminish with the beginning of the next.

Note the sorrowful words of the prophet Jeremiah as he grieved over the nation.
“(20) ‘The HARVEST is PAST, the SUMMER is ENDED, and WE ARE NOT SAVED.’ (21) For the wound of the daughter of my people is my heart wounded; I mourn, and dismay has taken hold on me. (22) Is there no balm in Gilead? IS THERE NO PHYSICIAN THERE? WHY then has the health of the daughter of my people NOT BEEN RESTORED?” ( Jeremiah 8:20-22 ESV)

The seasons were passing, but hearts were not being convicted. Activities were engaged in, but souls were not being won. As we consider the relative shortness of life ( James 4:14) we need to be careful regarding what we get caught up in the most. There are people around us who are hurting. There are people around us who are LOSING THEIR LIVES and are in need of hearing the message of hope we have received. The Great Physician has come ( Matthew 9:12-13) and the Gospel of Jesus is still the most SIGNIFICANT NEWS for the lives of others every day of the week. May we uphold its SIGNIFICANCE in our own life as we draw the attention of others to Him.

Have a great day KEEPING THE RIGHT GOAL IN VIEW!
Carl

(P.S. The Seahawks did beat the Panthers 34 to 14)

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