We are built for worship.
It’s evident every day. We are going to worship something in various degrees. Something will get the majority of our passion, our time, our attention.
My alma mater’s football team is making sporting news lately. As a proud Baylor Bear, I’ve enjoyed the additional coverage and the energized fan base.
Baylor fans have witnessed some lean years as Big 12 opponents seemed to treat our Bears like a piñata at a birthday party.
The piñata has now jumped off the rope, taken the bat in its teeth and is now swinging back. Ranked #6 with an undefeated record leading up to last week’s victory over the #10 ranked Oklahoma Sooners the buzz of #EveryoneInBlack hit social media. All those attending the Thursday night game were encouraged to wear black in support of our team who decided to wear their black uniforms.
Black Baylor logos became profile pics and black t-shirts were ordered in droves. Walking up to Floyd Casey stadium in Waco, it looked like people were dressed for a heavy metal concert instead of a green and gold-laden football game.
The record crowd jammed the tunnels and the lack of walking room was reminiscent of a New Delhi train terminal. Save for a small section of red-clad O.U. fans tucked away in a corner and a spattering of others dotting the sea of black, everyone seemed to get the message of #EveryoneInBlack.
I have never witnessed our students and alumni so unified, passionate or attentive. The game proved in the end to be a blowout. The Bears are still undefeated.
For all the enjoyment, I couldn’t help take notice of some troubling things about the game as they related to Christianity.
Save for Easter, Christmas and national tragedies, how often do we unashamedly mention Jesus the way we do with our favorite sports teams?
I can’t imagine 5 people wearing a t-shirt proclaiming their intense love for Jesus much less a stadium full.
I can’t imagine the outrage toward sinful behavior matching the degree of outrage aimed at a referee for missing a call.
I can’t imagine a missionary team being cheered on with the fervor that a defense receives for guarding a 1 yard line of turf.
I can’t imagine a baptism receiving the amount of celebration as a receiver catching a touchdown pass.
I can’t imagine this changing anytime soon.
But it will change.
We Were Made To Worship God Now
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” – Revelation 4:11
“All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.” – Psalm 66:4
We Will Worship God Later
“Therefore God has highly exalted Him [Jesus] and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” – Revelation 5:13
It’s reassuring to know we will celebrate Christ one day in unison, fully aware of the defeat of sin at the cross and our ability to worship Him in fullness everyday.
God will have our passion, our time, our attention. Everyone will get the message.
Eternally.
