Good morning,
The single largest sporting event in the world came to a grinding halt Sunday evening, and kept the contestants from the field of play for over 30 minutes. The problem was a power failure of some kind that led to about half of the lighting going dark. Jokes were made about the halftime show having something to do with it. My first thought was maybe some kind of terrorist effort to disrupt or bring harm to people. To my knowledge, league officials and New Orleans city officials have been unable to determine exactly what happened and why, and have been vague when addressing the subject. Happily, there was no crime of violence being perpetrated. Who knows… maybe it was a mouse or a squirrel in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever it was caused cessation of play and loss of communication for the main commentators of the game: Jim Nance and Phil Simms.
This game was too important to continue playing without perfect conditions. When I was a kid we played our football games (after dark) under the streetlights of a nearby highway, or even to the headlights of a few cars. We played in (much) less than perfect conditions. But our games didn’t have millions of dollars at stake. Our games wouldn’t produce a true world championship result. But we had fun. Oh, did we have fun! No pads, no protection, sometimes as few as three or four on a team. We knew how to play and enjoy ourselves with a minimum of “niceties”.
A man or woman doesn’t really need all that much light to find Christ. He doesn’t have to have perfect conditions, perfect sermons, perfect (complete) knowledge or understanding of everything in the Bible. There is no perfect time or place. All he needs to know is that he has a need and that God has provided for that need. The need is beyond his own ability to meet or repair. His life doesn’t work right, and the cause of the problem is sin. But he has enough “light” to see that he has a problem. And God, the Holy Spirit is at work in his heart with the light of Christ… the light of the Gospel. God sent His Son to fix the problem. It’s a “light” problem also. People need light in their darkness. And Jesus is that light. We who are Christ’s disciples are called to bear His light to those in darkness. We do that by Iiving, teaching, and doing the Gospel. While God is Light, and all enlightenment comes from Him, it takes just a little to overcome the darkness. Even a small light makes a great difference. May you and I be people who reflect Christ in dark places… with love, grace, and truth.
Isaiah 9:2 (NIV) - 2 The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
John 1:4-9 (NIV) - 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
1 John 1:5-7 (NIV) - 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV) - 14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
PRAYER: “Father, let me walk in the light of Your love and in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ, Your only Son. May others see Christ in me. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”
Jesus Christ is Lord!
Scott
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