Saturday Down South

It's Saturday down South!

SUV's and RV's parked in the lot outside the stadium. Antennas tuned in to ESPN College Game Day. The FM station on radios tuned in to everyone's favorite pre-game show.

Drinks in the cooler. Dogs on the grill. Corn hole. Ladder ball. Sitting under canopies in the shade. And stories of last year's win against today's chump change team.

Guys three cars down that you've never met take a seat or play a game like they've attended your backyard BBQ's for years.

As time nears kickoff you begin making your way to the stadium. Filing in. Through the gates. Down the aisle. To your seats. It's a sea of our favorite fall colors. Red. Crimson. Orange. Gold.

We stand. We kneel. We salute. We pledge. We pray. We play.

Opening kickoff jitters and jeers. Flags and towels waving. Voices screaming. The offense takes the helm. Marching the ball down the field. Cheering on every caught pass. Booing every missed penalty. High-fiving our new found friends in seats 23 and 24 on row CC near the forty yard line.

Isn't it funny the emotional highs and lows we experience based on a nineteen year old's ability to catch or throw a football?

Can't wait for the third quarter. Halftime speech. Second half defense. The athletes are gonna start pulling away in the fourth quarter. Grinding. Pounding. Overpowering. Running five stars in one right after another.

The final second ticks off the clock. Our team on top. Again. Crowd goes wild. Teams shake hands. Players make their way to the student section to sing their beloved alma mater. It's something heavenly.

Saturday down South! It's truly a wonderful experience. A worshipful experience.

Gathering in our sacred cathedrals. Dressed in our sacred attire. Chanting our sacred hymns. Sacred leaders reading the script of their sacred book.

Don't get me wrong. I live in the South. And I have a team. I may not be tailgating in a college football town but I'm gathering with family or friends on Saturday afternoon sporting my team's colors, eating pizza or burgers, watching the game on the big screen with surround sound.

But Sunday's create a similar experience. Gathering in our churches. Singing our songs. Praying our prayers. Preaching our sermons. Giving our money.

And if we're not careful it will be brought to our attention that all we did was shift our focus from the god of Saturday to the god of Sunday; from the god of sports to the god of religion.

Perspective; that's all I'm saying. Perspective. God gave us competition, entertainment, and community that could be built around our favorite schools and sports teams. But He never intended for it to dominate our affections, attitudes, and actions.

On Saturday's we have permission to cheer and laugh and play and enjoy spending time with friends and family. But choose to find Christ at the center of all we think, and say, and do.

On Sunday's we have permission to be more reverent and reserved. But choose to remember the great sacrifice Jesus has made to give us reason to celebrate all the more.

Passion and enthusiasm are words that can cross all cultural lines. Therefore, passionate worship can be a spontaneous yet deliberate act of gratitude toward One greater than your favorite team or player; our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Cheer. Support. Watch intently the games of your favorite teams. Wear their gear. Talk about the game with your friends. Find the highs and lows. Offer words of encouragement in plausible ways.

And as a Christian, cheer on those running this same race. Watch their lives. Look for the fruit of their faith. Make them a priority. Encourage them. Worship God together.

Don't just be a fan in the stands. Don't just find your name on the injured reserve from some story in your past. Don't be envious of your teammates or fear your rival.

Get on the field. Play the game. The head ball coach is calling your number. He's calling your name. He's inviting you to play. This is your spiritual act of worship!