Zephaniah 3:17
The Lord your God wins victory after victory and is always with you. He celebrates and sings because of you, and he will refresh your life with his love.”
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Like many others, my husband and I have been Arkansas Razorbacks fans for decades. I like to think we are fans whether they win or lose. But let’s be honest… it’s a whole lot more fun when they are winning! We cheer, “call the Hogs,” and sing “Oh, Lord, It’s Hard to be Humble” with the best of them at games. There is something incredibly energizing and refreshing about the drumbeat of the band and hearing the U of A Fight Song. And who can beat the exhilaration of yelling “Woo Pig Sooie!”? Even though we both graduated from Arkansas Tech, we support the Razorbacks wholeheartedly… they are forever “our team.”
There was a time when we took our fan support of the Razorbacks more seriously than we do these days… and we know some fairly rabid fans even now! They practically live and die by the ups and downs of our beloved Hogs – especially when it comes to football, basketball, baseball and track. We have settled into what I believe is a healthy loyalty… a recognition that these are just sporting events played by young men and women. We are still exuberant over victories… but far less devastated by the defeats.
I have to wonder, do we give the same allegiance to God that we give to our athletic teams? After all, He supports US like no other. He is always there for us… always winning victories on our behalf… always singing and rejoicing over our triumphs. His love refreshes and energizes us each and every day. God is much more than the “wind beneath our wings.” He is our refuge, our strength… our everything! But do we treat Him with appropriate regard?
Do we give God the same “fan support” that we give to our beloved Arkansas Razorbacks? Are we ready to praise Him and maintain a relationship with Him when the chips are down and things are not going so well in our lives? Or maybe that’s the only time we ARE in close contact… when things go badly and we need God to bail us out! We can’t have it both ways, you know. We’re either in all the way… or we’re not in at all. Faith should not be fickle… and neither should our relationship with God.
We need to recognize God’s presence and power in our lives… His ability to secure victory after victory for us… to lift us up when we are sinking… and to celebrate when we are at the top of the heap! How refreshed are you by God’s presence in your life? Do you have a “fair weather fan” relationship… or have you gone “whole hog?” Isn’t it time you gave Him your “full fan support?” God is always with YOU… can you say the same in return?
©2013 Debbie Robus
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