Is God trying to deal with some terrible evil within my heart? Is the horrible American Idol of Sports being dismantled? Have I lifted up the teams of my choice into some high place that God wants only to be inhabited by Him? NO, I HAVEN'T, BUT I KNOW SOME OF YOU THINK SO! (;
In the Old Testament book of 1 Samuel chapter 5, one of the dark seasons in Israel's history is recorded as the writer narrates the tragedy of the Ark of the Covenant being taken by the Philistines in battle. After the Philistines capture the ark they take it to the Temple of their god Dagon and set it up next to the idol. When the people awakened the next morning, the idol had fallen down face first in front of the ark. The people set him up again, and once more, they returned to find Dagon fallen, but this time with his head and hands broken off! The head represents authority and the hands, power and provision. It was as if Yahweh was saying, "In my Presence, all of your false gods have no authority or power!"
I am starting to feel like these poor Philistines when it comes to my love of sports. Every team I have allowed my heart to find some kind of attachment to these last several months has been defeated in some of the most painful ways imaginable. First, USC up by 12 points with only 6 minutes to go, lets Vince Young and Texas steal the National Championship. Next, that abomination known as the STUPID BOWL took my already broken heart and stomped on it over and over again as my SEAHAWKS and the REFS choked away the World Championship. Tonight after watching the Gonzaga Bulldogs outplay the UCLA BRUINS for all but the last 2 minutes of the game and then literally give the game away on a silver platter, I have concluded that God is out to bring my Dagon down!
Yes, that's right, I believe
the entire sports universe is revolving around me and my addiction and that God is trying to rip the deep seated pleasure I derive from sports out like a rotten cavity of a tooth! The problem is, I don't know if I want to be set free! Seriously though, can you imagine what it must be like to be a Red Sox, White Sox or Cubs fan? The first two finally got the monkey off their back. Maybe this year will be the Cubs year? Anyway, could someone please call Bill Clinton for me because I know he can "FEEL MY PAIN." Oh, I am so weary of getting my heart broke!
HAHA - Can you believe that. I sat there in disbelief for about 5 minutes after that one ended.
ReplyDeleteThough I do think that maybe you are reading into it a little too much. Not that he wouldn't, but to me in my limited brain power, it seems highly unlikely that God would cause the defeat of sports teams in key games just to rock the world of Pastor Doug Sherman of Moses Lake, WA. hehe Maybe you are thinking a little to much of yourself here and the role you play in the universe. hehe There are MANY MANY MANY people that have a vested interest in the teams that lost, as well as the ones that won. Don't get me wrong, you are an important guy and all.... but c'mon! It's sports, and that's all it is. A game . . and another will be played on another day.
I'm 1 for 3 on those games by the way... GO TEXAS hehe
I love you man
N
Nate,
ReplyDeleteThis is not a laughing matter! Are you trying to tell me the whole universe does not have some kind of connection to my sports viewing and fan habits? I know what you are saying though, and that is why the entire article was written "tongue in cheek."
Doug