Ahh… Football.  I LOVE IT.  I was born in Georgia and lived in three different Southern states; I can safely say that football is life down there.   College football, especially.

Friday night lights give way to Saturday tailgates and the trifecta is punctuated by NFL Sunday.  Wait!  Sunday?!   Ummm… isn’t there somewhere else we’re supposed to be?

Even in the great South, where churches are larger than football stadiums (well, sort of),  we often chose the gridiron over the pew.  Yes, I said it.  I am guilty.  Jesus flows through my soul, and football is in my blood.  Is that possible?  I say, yes.  Trust me, there is A LOT of prayin’ that goes on during football games.  My personal favorites are the pre-game locker room prayers;  or the circle of players from both teams praying together on the field after the game;  or those players who give glory to God after a touchdown, pointing high.  Trust me, Jesus is a huge part of Southern football.

So, this begs the question:  Is attendance synonymous with praising the Lord?  Or, are we reaching, thirsting, and seeking more outside of the pew than in it?   There are more hours in a football game than a church service… just sayin’.

As always, our faith is just that.  OURS.  Our walk with the Lord, our prasing of Him, and our celebrating of Him… on or off the field, in or out of the pew.

So, it’s Superbowl Sunday.  Many will “cheer” their team to Victory… others will “drown” their sorrows.  If you are watching in the Southern states, you won’t do either until after 12 o’clock noon according to the state law.  (Although, any good football watchin’ Southerner knows to provision at least by Friday.)

Players and coaches will earn their salaries today, playing for the most coveted prize in all of football.  From the pee wee leagues to the NFL, every player has a journey to this day.  Each number on a jersey represents their stats, both recorded and off the record.  These men will don their uniforms and partake in their own pre-game rituals.  They will win or lose, but they will do it as a team.

So, I ask…

Who is your team?  What are your stats?  What is your pre-game ritual?  Who is your coach?

The day we are born is our “Draft Day.”  We grab a baseball cap and hold up the jersey of our new team, our new family.  We cry tears of joy, and we are extended a hand.  We meet our new coach.  Then, we decide:   I will show up for practice anytime I hear His whistle.  I will study His playbook.  I will respect His love of the game.  I will both watch from the sidelines and get into the game when I am called.

Without a coach, there is no practice…Without practice, there is no PLAY…Without play, there is no PRAISE.

Because, even when you are not in a pew, you are definitely still on the team.

#holykitt#spotthecross#superbowlsunday