This may come as a surprise to some of you but I love football. I mean LOVE, LOVE football... My husband tells me all the time that he created a monster. You see when we first started to date, I could care less about this sport. I did not get it and actually found it rather boring. However, my husband's family really enjoys sports so every Sunday, I would spend the afternoon watching the game. I was kind of impressed at how much everyone knew about the game and how they could argue back and forth over a call or know when a little play-action was coming and yet there I sat in the dark.
Well to impress my boyfriend at the time, I decided to read a book on football, I think it was called "Football for Dummies." The book really helped me grasp basic understanding of the game plus watching it every Sunday really helped. Naturally I chose to follow Roger and be a Green Bay Packer's fan. When I became a fan, Favre was retiring(ish) and Aaron Rodgers led us to a 6-8 season (I believe) so I didn't fall in love instantly with the game. As time went on, I found myself talking about the game, asking questions, understanding rivals, momentarily cheering for the Giants, and listening to anyone who talked football.
To get to my point, yesterday the Packer's were in a play off game. Play-offs are what get you to the super bowl and it is a big deal. Aaron Rodger's is a fantastic QB so I thought we had a chance, I had a knot in my stomach all day. I wore my green jersey during the day and wore my white jersey at night since that is what I wore all season. (Yup. Superstitious) We started off well with a Pick Six and then well we lost... big time! The other QB was better and scored a few touch downs on us and we couldn't come back. I got angry that we were losing and upset that our defense could do nothing against the other team. I was upset when I went to bed and needed to talk it out with Roger and try to figure out where we went wrong. Truth be told, I was a mess.
However, today is a new day and as I sat in church I felt this tug on my heart as our Pastor taught me something new in the book of Acts, a book I have read a dozen times before. All I could think about was the fact that my passion seems misdirected. I literally felt terrible after we lost last night but I am not sure I have felt the same over sin in my life. I am not sure I could say that I understand the simple truths of the Bible. I know I do not find myself talking about Christ as I go through my day or actively look for people who are. Sure I am passionate about somethings in the Bible but I am not as passionate as I should be. I could truly rejoice with those who are rejoicing over a victory over sin or I could fill my brain with verses instead of football knowledge.
Today I was reminded of the fact that I fill my time and energy with what is important to me. It could be organizing, football, reading or cleaning whatever it is, the Word of God seems to come second. I spend more time making sure I understand what is going on in the NFL than opening up the Scriptures. This has to change and not just because the Packers are riding the bench until next year, I mean really a heart change must happen and I honestly pray that it does. I want to be known as a follower of Christ not known by my hobbies or interests.
Just to challenge you, what in your life are you more passionate about than God?
