Our Heavenly Superbowl

I confess I am not much of a sports fan.  I loved it when my kids growing up participated in sports. I was a fan at that time, but it wasn't that I was a fan of the game.  I was a fan of my kids on the team.

With all the excitement and enthusiasm generated this time of year for the big games played to determine the ultimate team and the ultimate victory, my mind pictures the the field, the teams, and the crowd of loyal fans.

The Holy One enters the scene in my head with gentle but sobering words, "Why do my people celebrate a sporting event with such enthusiasm yet are so reserved when it comes to victory over the kingdom of darkness and evil that is being played out every day?" 

I usually see life as a battle between good and evil.  A battle between the Kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.  Ephesians 6:11

Today the Holy One lays out a picture of life at the "superbowl" level.  Jesus is our Hero, our captain and the church is our team.  We go out every day onto the field.  Presumably our job on the team is to press toward the goal and move the ball forward inch by inch.  There are a great cloud of spectators (witnesses) looking on.  We can't hear their applause with every inch of ground we gain, but they are celebrating none the less.

Just like the players, we hold a position on the team.  Just like the players in the superbowl, to gain ground it takes all the strength, and vitality and determination we can find to press against the opposing forces.  We are going to be battered and bruised with aching muscles and skinned elbows, it's all part of the game.

But when we see the Kingdom of Heaven advance and our King becomes the Hero to others as He is to us, that's cause for celebration.  So where is our celebration over what the Lord is doing in our lives?  Where's the celebration over every inch of ground gained?  Where's the celebration like that of David when in 2 Sam 6:12-22, the Ark and symbol of God's Presence and blessing was being returned to Jerusalem.

Scripture tells us that David was so overwhelmed with joy that he sacrificed a bull and a calf after the Ark had been advanced a mere 6 feet toward Jerusalem.  It says that King David danced before the Lord with all his might in celebration of the symbol of God returning to Jerusalem.

There were those who despised King David for his overt and effervescing worship and celebration.  Such extravagant worship was offensive to some.  But David modeled worship due the King of Kings.  When King David was confronted by the disgruntled who objected to his behavior, King David replied, "I will celebrate before the Lord.  I will become even more undignified than this and I will be humiliated in my own eyes".

How about you?  How about me?  Dare we be so exhurberant in our celebration of what the Lord is doing in our lives that some will call us undignified? I doubt the fans leaving the superbowl having spent all their energy, time and money to support and celebrate their team feel any regrets for being so undignified.

Sports and war games touch our human souls.  We are hard wired to compete and win.  Whoever told us we need to be so private and reserved in our faith and it's expression?  Time to start a wave of celebration and rejoicing. 

The Heavenly superbowl will not be over until our Hero returns for the final play in Glory and Victory enforced.   But the end is drawing near.   We may have only a minute left on the clock.  But in whatever time is left, lets us start a rumbling of victory at the coming of our King.  Let us lift our voices in worship and celebration of His coming.  Hallelujah, to God be the Glory.

The Spirit is calling.  can you hear Him?