Two of my favorite teams playing on National TV last night turned out to be a unique opportunity as a sports fan. My hometown Carolina Panthers took on the Houston Texans…and my alma mater Appalachian State was playing against rival, Marshall.
Not only was I thrilled to watch both of my teams compete, but also to see them both win – the Panthers defeated Houston 24-9 and the Mountaineers pulled out a tight one (31-30).
Although I wanted to experience both games (two TVs helped), my sports fandom was definitely put to the test. It was very challening to be all-in on both games when they were playing at the same time!
As a loyal App State and Panthers fan, I was feeling the tension of both games grabbing my attention and affection. I didn’t want to miss out on one game because I was watching the other one, but that was the reality I faced.
This led me to have the following questions swirl around in my head…
Do I need to commit to one game?
What game do I care about more?
What game should I focus on?
Do I watch one game first and save the other on DVR to watch later?
Which team takes priority?
Which team matters more to me?
What game is more important in the bigger scheme of things?
Being a sports fan sure is tough! HA! But seriously, two games were pulling me back and forth and the truth is, my eyes and mind couldn’t process them both at once.
I could tell myself, I’ll just watch this one drive and then get back to the other game, but as soon as I shifted my eyes to one TV, there was an exciting play that captured my interest on the other TV out of the corner of my eye.
I know, I’m a crazy sports fan, but I believe this tension and going back and forth can parallel what we often experience with our faith journey.
Two worlds fight for our attention. We can’t be all-in with our eyes fixed on Jesus when we’re distracted and enticed by the world. Our hearts can’t be fully committed to God when the temptations of the world keep pulling us away.
Unfortunately, we aren’t willing to turn off the “other game” if we still find the world intriguing, but this prevents us from completely embracing all that is offered when we have a singular focus on God and His kingdom.
1 John 2:15-17 (NLT) warns us, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”
Every day, our commitment to Jesus is challenged and our allegiance is put to the test as we feel the pull toward different directions. We may struggle to go back and forth for a while, but ultimately we know, there is one way that leads to life. Whatever the world offers us is just temporary satisfaction.
Colossians 3:2 (AMP) tells us to “Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].”
Today, let’s evaluate our lives and ask ourselves…
What am I truly committed to?
What do I care about more?
What should I focus on?
What needs to takes priority?
What matters more to me?
What is more important in the bigger scheme of things?
Galatians 6:7-8 (TLB) says, “Don’t be misled; remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it: a man will always reap just the kind of crop he sows! If he sows to please his own wrong desires, he will be planting seeds of evil and he will surely reap a harvest of spiritual decay and death; but if he plants the good things of the Spirit, he will reap the everlasting life that the Holy Spirit gives him.”
As sports fans, we have multiple teams to follow, love and cheer for, but as a disciple of Jesus, He’s the only One we need to focus on because He’s the only One worthy of our full attention and affection.
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for everlasting life. I pray my eyes would stop drifting toward what the world has to offer and remain completely committed to You. Please help me keep my mind focused on the things above instead of temporary things, and to put my full attention and affection toward You instead of going back and forth. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
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In what ways do you feel the world enticing you and distracting you?
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What “game” do you need to turn off so you can keep your eyes fixed on Jesus?
