• Feb. 4, 2008 - The Most Important Super Bowl of My Life
Twenty-four years ago the Los Angeles Raiders beat the Washington Redskins 38 – 9 in Super Bowl XVIII. It was the most lopsided win in Super Bowl history, but I don't remember any of that.
What I remember was being in eighth grade, at a fun-loving youth group Super Bowl party down in the church basement. One of my friends had started inviting me to church sometime earlier that year and dutifully picking me up and taking me to church every time the door was open. I look back on it now, as only a 37 year old mom can, and realize what a huge deal that was. We lived all the way on the other side of town. Picking me up on Sunday mornings probably tacked an extra 20 minutes or so on their Sunday morning routine. But yet they did it. Not once a week, not twice, but usually three times a week – sometimes more.
The church welcomed me in with open arms and I soon began to learn that being a Christian was more than just being a good person, going to church, or knowing “about” God. That church truly met right where I was. I often remember feeling a bit embarrassed that I didn't know about all of Bible stories that most of the other kids had been hearing since they were just tots, but none of them every acted surprised. They simply, quietly and patiently, helped me find the right pages and explained things to me.
I remember lots and lots of fun goofy youth group times. They did all kinds of fun stuff and I loved being in the middle of it. And I can remember that Sunday night that not all of the older folks were happy that the youth were down in the basement watching the Super Bowl, instead of being in discipleship training classes.
I'm sure we were too loud. I'm sure we were irritating. And I don't remember the details, but it was something like half time when it was time for the church service when we all dutifully marched up to join everyone else for the worship service. Usually we all sat in the front, but this time we sat in the back so that we could hurry out right afterwards to get back to the game. Little did I know that THAT was the night the Holy Spirit would call me.
I don't remember much of the service. But I remember hearing a lot about God's unconditional love and how He loved us so much that He gave His only son that anyone who believed in Him could have eternal life. I had heard those words before of course, but that night as they sang “Just As I Am”, I knew that it was time.
I knew that I was a sinner and I knew that I needed forgiveness. And I was just so amazingly grateful that the Lord would love me- truly just as I am. You know how hard it is during those teeny-bopper years – the pressure to make good grades, dealing with all the pressure to be popular, problems with friends, family stuff – you know the usual. And to think that He was going to love me just as I was – forever, unconditionally, that He would NEVER leave me or forsake me. That His love was a bazillion times greater than anything I had ever known and that nothing I could do could change that. That, my friends was what sent me down that aisle.
I can remember the pastor asking me a few questions and talking to me about how my life would never be the same again. That I was giving over the reins to Him and that He had more in store for me than I could ever imagine. And that He would be with me every step of the way.
It was a beautiful thing folks and my pastor was 100% right, I never have been the same again and the LORD has been with me every step of the way.
As I look back on that Sunday night 24 years ago, I am so thankful for my friend and her parents that took me to church, for the church that allowed that youth group to have a Super Bowl party, for a pastor who didn't write off an immature boy-crazy teeny bopper, and for a Saviour and His Amazing Grace. It's so much more than a song y'all, so SO much more.
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• Feb. 5, 2008 - Amen!
Thanks for sharing, my friend.