College Football Christianity
Posted by Javan Rowe in BLOG, Body of Christ, Discipleship, Featured, Passion, Physical Battles, Posts For Guys Who Like Posts, Spiritual Growth, Sports | Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
Here we are, nearing the end of another college football season. Normally, I am beginning to feel a touch of sadness at the mere thought of no college football. But I am an Ohio State football fan. The truth is, considering everything they have been plagued with, from self-imposed penalties, possible further NCAA sanctions, lame duck coach and a sub par season, I am content with the season being at a close (Though I am excited about their new coach hire in Urban Meyer).
Now, you could say that we have plenty of NFL still to come. Unfortunately, I do not get into watching the pros. The more I hear of receivers calling out quarterbacks, or staying out of camp until a new deal is reached, the more attractive college football becomes. I love guys playing hard simply for the love of the game, or to make it to the next level, instead of pushing themselves only because they are in the final year of their contract.
You could make the case there is still plenty of corruption at the college level, but the guys are giving their all on the field. They have a goal and will do whatever it takes to reach that goal.
Love Lost
How often have we heard the plea to take our Christianity to the next level? One could liken the jump from spiritual immaturity to maturity to that of a football player drafted to the NFL. In fact, this is how we usually view the more spiritually grown Christians—pros. What if we flip this analogy around to discover what we might have lost in this leap to professionalism?
The longer we spend as Christians, the more our knowledge of Scripture increases. But what if some of the passion that initially drew us to Christ has been lost? We may look the part as we file into the church pew, while inside we’re spiritually dead and merely look the part.
It reminds me of the Ephesian church in Revelation. The Lord told them they accomplished great deeds, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Rev. 2:4). This is a great reminder to us as well. If we do amazing things for the Lord but lack love (as the love chapter in 1 Corinthians also tells us) we are no better than the Pharisees Jesus repeatedly confronted.
Return to College
I’m here to call us to embrace college football Christianity. It’s the style of play we had when we were first converted. We were passionate about Christ, and our eyes were fixed on the prize of eternity with our Creator in Heaven. Like the Ephesians and the Pharisees, we have overemphasized the importance of how we look to others. It has all become about “me.”
The passage from Revelation does not leave us hanging, though. Jesus gave good, simple advice: “Therefore remember from where you have fallen” (vs. 5). Go back to those glory days when you put on the pads and broke through the defensive line with great gains for Christ.
The Lord then said to repent. It does us no good to simply recall “way back when” if we are not willing to humble ourselves, see how wrong our current attitude is and be willing to make a change. The good news is we do not have to call an audible at the line of scrimmage, hoping everything ends up okay. We have our coach—the Holy Spirit—as our Counselor, who whispers the proper plays as the very time they are most pertinent.
This means the last step in our return to the minors is to listen. Stop the voices swirling within and without, and concentrate on the One who carries true wisdom. Clean out the wax of willful sin that blocks our ears from hearing the Holy Spirit.
A return to college football Christianity is more than mere nostalgia. It means returning to “our first love” by following the biblical advice of remembering, repenting and listening.
So, let’s step back out onto the field and play this game of faith how it was intended.
