under the Son

Mar. 19, 2008

Dost thou not knowest...

...that a glorious event is about to occur?? Tis this Monday on which it falls...               Spring Volleyball Tourney!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Canst thou hardly contain thyself? Tis truly miraculous indeed! K, so everyone can understand... our tourney is this monday! YAY! I cunna way man! It's at Messiah College if ya want to know... prolly all day... Of course i must add some spiritual sentiment.. unlike all previous tournaments this one will be different! no, i do not have new knee-pads or newly acquired skill...but God has taught me something. nothing really new, but one of those times when the lesson finally penetrates the brain and it all makes sense. so, do you want to know what it is?? weeeelll, i suppose i can let you in on it. very simple.. here goes:         as a Christian volleyball player i should be playing for God and not myself!!! i told you it was simple! but this simple phrase had not entered into my very selfish heart in all these years of v-ball playing. it was not until now that i was able to put it to work in my life. ya see, i often went to practice to prove i could play well, to make A team, to achieve every sports goal possible!  I separated my sports from my walk with God.      "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess His name."       Hebrews 13:15     "Rejoice evermore."      1 Thessalonians 5:16     "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children.."      Ephesians 5:1     "Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men."  2 Corinthians 8:4     "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:1,2 According to these verses, we are to continually uplift Christ. Continually praise His name. 24/7 for the rest of your life. By giving God the game, it's tons more enjoyable. Because we are no longer focused on ourselves and the stress of the game. We are instead playing in the glory of the Lord, no matter how good or bad we are. We are to imitate Christ, hence W.W.J.D.? Especially in front of other people. So that Christ is revealed to them through our Christian walk. People are always watching. It doesn't stop on the court, or anywhere else. It challenged me to stop playing for myself. So that maybe people will see Christ in me, even while playing a sport that can be frustrating. So often sports are associated with angry sports fans, and athletes that curse and are selfish. Did you know that they even make little cloth footballs to throw at the TV when you're mad at the game? That's why it's so vital that Christians emanate Christ in sports, and other hobbies and interests that so often are cut off from Christ. Sports aren't wrong, it's not wrong to have fun and enjoy a good competitive sport. But let's make sure that Christ is evident in all we do. People are watching your reactions, listening to your words... what do they see when they look at you?

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