We have many gods seeking our devotion in our country. The big elephant in congregations in the south is football. Most would admit that our devotion to football may be a "little unhealthy", but we either don't talk about it or we jokingly "admit" our "problem".
With college football season beginning this past weekend both Alabama and Auburn played at home as usual. Auburn was on ESPN2 so the game was at 6:45 pm. I wonder if people going to these games on a regular basis are ever concerned with how attending the game will affect their worship. I would assume that for most people, attending a game starting at 6:45 pm that is 2 1/2 hours from home usually translates into staying home from worship the next morning.
I imagine this happens quite often in the south (and maybe in other parts of the country). I don't attend very many football games so it is easy for me to be critical of this lifestyle, but then again I must question my own thoughts from yesterday evening....
I watched Auburn defeat Washington State (War Eagle!), but then found UAB in a close game against Oklahoma after the AU game was over. Watching the UAB game put me in bed about 30 - 40 minutes later than usual, but never once did I question "How will this affect my worship of our Creator God tomorrow." I was exhausted this morning. Granted our 20 month old waking up at 2am did not help, but I must wonder what an extra 40 minutes of sleep might have accomplished. I do not want to condone that football is evil, but rather want to challenge myself and others to consider the spiritual condequences of our decisions.
May God put this question on my mind regularly. Not just in regards to football, but about all of life.
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