(Ephesians 5:15,16)
Well, this weekend started another season of NFL and college football. All
around the country,
football fans are waiting with great anticipation to see how their team will
do this season. People will actually be scheduling their lives around going
to and watching football from now thru the end of January. Sports has
always
been part of my life and something I've loved since I was very young. One
day several years ago, I began to challenge myself in regard to how much
time
I spent going to games, watching games on television, and reading about them in
newspapers and magazines. I also began to count how much I was spending
each
year on sports. I came to the conclusion that I was spending a great deal
of time.
Now I am not going to tell you that sports are bad, or that they are evil.
The point I want you to understand is that I think it is important how much
of our time and how much of our resources are devoted to the things we like
in this life, like sports, versus our eternal relationship with God. Sports
for me, whatever hobby you may have for you, are an enjoyable part of this
life. There is nothing wrong with them. Putting in perspective the short
time we are on this earth against an eternity with God if we know His Son
Christ by faith, made me realize that I should be devoting at least as much
time to my eternal relationship as I do my earthly interests which cease
when
this life is over. How many don't have time each day to read their Bible or
pray, but have time to sit in front of the television for hours?
Please hear me. Enjoy the good things that this world has to offer. Do the
things that interest you. But please, don't neglect the most important
element of your life, that personal relationship with your Father. Your
life
begins to unravel quickly when you are out of fellowship with Him. You
start
to make poor decisions when you stop reading your Bible every day, praying
every day, going to church, and spending that quiet time with God. All I
want you to do is keep things in perspective, and make sure you spend as much
time caring for your eternal interests as your earthly ones.
