The NFL Playoffs are happening and I, along with most of the country, have been watching and enjoying. Back before a single regular season game was played, I predicted that the Colts and the Panthers would play in the Super Bowl. While to my surprise, and everyone else's, the Colts mailed it in last week, I still have the Panthers and I'm pretty happy about that. Good stuff.
When I think about sports, I think about something that I love, but also something that can consume my life, and that can be bad (stating the obvious). When I'm drudging through my week (it can happen even when you're doing what you love), sometimes I just think about how I want the weekend to come so I can feast on sports, which is the NFL playoffs right now. I think of watching football as FREEDOM (meant to be said with a Scottish accent and blue war paint).
Freedom. Jesus says that he offers freedom. But it sounds like a dirty trick because I have to assume that his freedom has a lot more rules than my freedom does. That just has to be the way it works. I want freedom that is real freedom. You know, freedom that allows me to do whatever I want. Jesus probably wants me to be
free to do whatever he says. So, sadly enough, I tend to think that true freedom can only be found in escaping from Christ. I don't necessarily mean with sin. I just mean that I want to fulfill all my requirements as a follower of Jesus so that I can roam free and do whatever I want. Sound familiar, or is this just me?
I am currently memorizing Galatians 5 (a verse a day; good stuff). I still am not beyong verse 1 in my meditations. "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." "Experience freedom!" is what Paul is shouting. He is speaking specifically to the Galatians about not entering back into a life under the law of Moses (and law in general, I believe). Why would they want to enter into slavery? Only because they do not see it as slavery, but as freedom. They would have been free from the offense of Christ (check out verse 11). They would be free from heart-felt religion and replace it with containable rules. They think it would be freedom, but it would be slavery.
Sometimes I think football is freedom, but it is really slavery. I think this about TV, reading, sleep, rest, fun(?)! One time on a day off I was watching TV, making an elaborate snack, and reading a book. Karina laughed and said, "You sure are working hard at relaxing." She was right. How ironic! I enter into slavery instead of experiencing freedom in Christ. Sin is the same. 2 Peter 2 talks about false teachers who give their hearers license to sin however they want. He says that they promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves because you are a slave to whatever has mastery over you. If I cannot say no to Football, it is my master. If I cannot say no to reading, it is my master. If I cannot say no to lust or gossip or selfish thoughts, sin is my master.
But does Jesus offer true freedom? The freedom of living in a way that I will nto regret. That sounds pretty good. The freedom to experience life now instead of longing for what's next. That sounds good too. The freedom to walk hand in hand, trusting my teacher and master to show me the way. I like that. I trust Jesus. I think he has proven that he knows what he's doing.
I now find that I am constantly asking myself, "That thing you want to do, will that really turn out to be slavery?" Well, will it?
Since the Super Bowl is fast-approaching I thought I would post a picture from last year's big game. This is Matthew and I watching the Patriots defeat the Eagles. By the way, I won $50 from my football pool on the Super Bowl last year. That made for a great Valentine's date for Karina and I. This year I will be winning nothing.
