Tweet: “Anyone else frustrated with the refs today?”
I just finished watching the Detroit Lions lose to the Green Bay Packers for the 21st straight year at Lambeau Field. This game was incredible. For the first time in NFL history, both quarterbacks threw for over 400 yards and had 5+ touchdowns. The two teams scored a combined 86 points. Incredible. It was back and forth all game long. The Lions scored a touchdown with 2:39 left in the game and I cheered so loud I woke my wife Beth up from her nap. Thankfully, my wife understands my passion for football and she is beginning to develop her own passion for the game. BWE! (Best wife ever)
Soon after the Lions scored, the Packers easily drove down the field and scored to take the lead and eventually get the win. I was heartbroken. My heart was racing so fast during the game and it took everything in me to keep from getting really upset and letting it ruin my day. Sad, right? No it’s not! This is Lions football! We’ve been bad for so long and now we finally have a team that can score and (use to be able to) stop high powered offenses. There were a lot of bad calls and the Lions showed incredible poise and focus overcoming those bad calls. They deserved to win that game. At least, that’s what my thoughts were at the time.
Well as the day continues on and massive amounts of snow fall here in Kalamazoo, MI, my mind has settled down (I’m still bummed we lost) and gained some perspective. I asked myself this question, “When was the last time I got this passionate coming to the defense of Christ?” When was the last time I walked out of a movie after someone took the Lord’s name in vain? When was the last time I spoke up in class when someone bashed Christians for believing a myth?
Jesus Himself showed how passionate we should be when it comes to defending our heavenly Father. In the book of Mark the story is recorded this way.
15 When they arrived back in Jerusalem, Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. He knocked over the tables of the money changers and the chairs of those selling doves, 16 and he stopped everyone from using the Temple as a marketplace. 17 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.” (www.biblegateway.com)
I feel like there’s so much behind this quick summary of the story from Mark. I mean think about this, Jesus has done so many humble and meek acts like hanging out with criminals, heal the sick, and he has just entered Jerusalem on a donkey. He then walks into the temple and launches into a passionate defense of His Father’s house. He turns starts flipping tables, money and animal cages are flying everywhere! Men and women are running and screaming, babies are crying, sheep and doves are scurrying away, and yet in my head I see this one wise old man sitting in a rocking chair muttering to himself, “I tried to tell them.”
Jesus then ‘declares’ scripture to them. I feel like this is Hebrew for, talking in a very stern tone. Jesus passionately defends His Father’s house. My prayer is that my actions will reflect the same.
How have you displayed passion lately?
I feel like there’s so much behind this quick summary of the story from Mark. I mean think about this, Jesus has done so many humble and meek acts like hanging out with criminals, heal the sick, and he has just entered Jerusalem on a donkey. He then walks into the temple and launches into a passionate defense of His Father’s house. He turns starts flipping tables, money and animal cages are flying everywhere! Men and women are running and screaming, babies are crying, sheep and doves are scurrying away, and yet in my head I see this one wise old man sitting in a rocking chair muttering to himself, “I tried to tell them.”
Jesus then ‘declares’ scripture to them. I feel like this is Hebrew for, talking in a very stern tone. Jesus passionately defends His Father’s house. My prayer is that my actions will reflect the same.
How have you displayed passion lately?
Great message, Peter! There are so many things in our lives that have been dumbed down from the way God meant then to be (like using the word 'love' to describe our feelings towards pizza) and how many beautiful things have been secularized. And it's surprising how easy it is to give these secular things more of our time and passion than to our walk with Christ. That's why our walk requires a daily commitment to overcome our sinful human nature and focus on the King of Kings...
ReplyDeleteLove you Bro! I'm your New Biggest Blog Fan (NBBF)!!!
I was thinking along similar lines this morning...I was thinking about my commitment to begin blogging again, figuring out how to make it a priority, and I realized that it all comes down to being passionate and purposeful. Purposeful is my "word" for 2012, but it really can't do anything with passion behind it. We have been given natural passions from God, but there are other that we have to work to cultivate...being passionate about our Savior is unfortunately and ashamedly often one of those. It is good to have this reminder...thanks!
ReplyDeleteP.S. The game was indeed sad.