I have written before that I believe that Sports in America has become a god. I know that is not news to any of you parents, but for some it may be a surprise…
There are three epidemics that are destroying this generation – I call them “Generation Killers” Entertainment, Abortion and Dating. If you are interested I can elaborate on each one… but sports is what I call a “Prince” or small god that we put in front of the living God!
Sports are like education or T.V. it has become idolatry and we have made it one of our gods. If you don’t believe me go to a youth soccer game, baseball game or any other athletic event where kids are playing and parents are on the sidelines; it’s beyond scary! Screaming – fighting – “adults” trying to re-live their child-hood through their children… it is an embracement and tragedy!
I have coached youth football for seven years and just took another team that starts next week; I love the interaction with the kids! I am coaching my son Caleb and 20 other 6th grade boys. Eager, pumped up and teachable – it is one of the highlights of my life. But, I am also preparing myself to for the onslaught, amazingly mostly from the mothers! Being cussed out because Johnny didn’t play enough; spit on, slapped – I have seen and experienced it all; and I’m a great coach!! (This is Michael a couple years ago – warrior in the making)!
I do believe we must encourage our kids to play sports. It teaches them team work, integrity; my boys will knock a kids head off with a tackle and then help them up, with a slap on the butt, and tell them what a great job they are doing… great life lessons. But, to avoid the idolatry that it can become, even for me, we allow our kids to play one sport at a time, choose two sports a year, and they have to give us three weeks out of each summer to travel to a 3rd– world country to serve the poor and the orphan – that is our accountability system; for all of us!
Caleb, our 11 year old was in the state championships this past weekend for baseball. He is on the number one team in the state and is a natural catcher. We flew in from Nicaragua and received the call the next morning. “Caleb has been hit by a fast ball and broke his hand; the bone is sticking out of the side of his right hand”! We jumped in the car, drove, very fast, the 4 hours up to Steamboat Springs, CO. Before Lisa and I left, we gathered the family together and prayed for his immediate healing – we all felt something as we prayed.
As we pulled up to the park, Caleb was returning from the emergency room… one of the parents on the team is a doctor; he said “I have never seen anything like it. His bone was sticking out, I know it was broken! The x-ray came back negative and his hand is normal! NOT EVEN A BRUISE – I think he can play”! The parents of the team were speechless. He played the rest of the tournament, another four games, and was the talk of every parent of every team…
God is the God of sports, so go play your guts out and expect miracles!
Amazing! I know all to well about coaching and parents. And I only coached an elementary running club! It’s not only the moms and dads at the activities trying to live life through their kids, but also the dads who sit all hours and watch it on TV but ignore thier families while they do it. I know since I’ve done that plenty of times. That being said, you should do a blog on the three generation killers. It would be great!
Parents and kids are looking for out lets and heros. That is why the entertainment industry and sports have risen to the status they have. IF Christians had presented our Jesus as the saviour, baptizer (both baptisms), healer, and coming king in the power and majesty he should be presented in, maybe, just maybe, the world would have found what they are looking for in HIM instead of the theater and arena. What are we teaching them?
We’re amazed by reports of miracles in Africa, India, South America….but Steamboat Springs? It’s about time we received a “verifiable” miracle in our own back yard! Hey, Caleb…wanna play some catch at the park this weekend?
That is amazing!!! Praise God for His healing power and for showing up in a real way! What an awesome God we serve!
>>God is the God of sports, so go play your guts out and expect miracles”
Amen! Great stuff, Gary. Another one for the record books, and will increase Caleb’s testimony too.
>>God is the God of sports, so go play your guts out and expect miracles”
Amen! Great stuff, Gary. Another one for the record books, and will increase Caleb’s testimony too.
wow! go Caleb. that’s awesome!
you’re a rockstar cabes!!
I think that somehow healing here in America makes us uncomfortable. We get so excited about it when we are overseas, but when we hear about it here we either dismiss it or doubt it.
Knowing that the power and presense of God is just as real in America as it is in Africa leaves us with a certain ammount of responsability. It’s time we own up to that and make God just as real in our lives here as we would overseas.
And I say this as much as myself as for anybody. How often would we see miracles here if we expected them just as much?
Shoot. That’s amazing!
heck yes! I love ithealing WILL become the norm and not the phenomenon we make it out to be now! see ya next week!