So Many Games at Once

March Madness is amazing for many reasons, and college basketball fans love each round of the NCAA Tournament. However, there’s something especially exciting about the Thursday/Friday games in the first round.

Games occur from noon until midnight, with tip-offs and buzzer-beaters scattered throughout the day, often simultaneously. Watching the nonstop action and witnessing the memorable moments is so much fun.

When I was growing up, the local CBS station would determine the one game I watched at a time. Even though other games may be taking place, I didn't have a way to watch them, so my focus would be on one game, and I'd be watching that one closely.

Thankfully, that all changed, and now we can watch up to four games spread out on CBS, TNT, TBS, or TruTV. It’s absolutely great, but it’s also a challenge being all-in on each game when they are playing at the same time.

It’s nice to have multiple games playing on different TVs, but then we feel tension with numerous games attempting to grab our attention and focus. We try not to miss out on one game because we are watching the other, so we flip back and forth or bounce our eyes from TV to TV.

Being a sports fan during March Madness sure is tough! HA! But seriously, our eyes and minds can't process every game all at once, even if we try, so then we must attempt to focus on one game.

As we sit in our recliner and hold the "clicker," these are the questions swirling around in our heads:

What is the one game I should commit to?

What game do I care about more?

What game should I focus on?

Which game takes priority?

Which team matters more to me?

What game is more important in the bigger scheme of things?

Which game should the volume be on, and which one should be muted?

As crazy as this is for sports fans during March, I believe the tension of going back and forth can parallel what we often experience with our faith journey.

Multiple things are constantly at stake, especially as we face the tension between Jesus and the world. 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 and His kingdom when the world's temptations keep pulling us away.

Unfortunately, if we still find the world intriguing and aren't willing to turn off the "other game," then we aren't entirely embracing all that is offered when we have a committed 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 tested 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 these questions:

What am I truly committed to?

What do I care about more?

What should I focus on?

What needs to take priority?

What voices do I need to mute?

What is more important in the bigger scheme of things?

What matters more to me?

As Jesus says in Matthew 22:37 (NLT), "'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind...'"

As sports fans, we have multiple teams and games 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 will stop drifting toward what the world offers and remain entirely committed to You. Please help me keep my mind focused on the things above instead of temporary things and give my full attention and affection toward You instead of going back and forth. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen.