It’s another surreal day with the sports world on hiatus and trying to gather our thoughts about that reality. Here are a few ESPN.com headlines as sports leagues and organizations announce their status:
Augusta Announces Masters Will be Postponed
Players Championship Scrapped After First Round
NASCAR Postpones Atlanta, Homestead Races
NBA Suspends Season Due to Coronavirus
MLB to Delay Opening Day at Least Two Weeks
XFL Cancels Regular Season, Will Still Pay Players
Boston Marathon Postponed Until September 14th
Premier League Suspended Until at Least April 3rd
How the Sports World has Shut Down
Why the NHL Hit the Pause Button on the 2019-20 Season, and What Comes Next
NCAA Tournaments Canceled Over Coronavirus
That’s a depressing list of headlines, but here at UNPACKIN’ it, we hope to continue to challenge, encourage, and inspire sports fans to follow Jesus and become more like Him.
So today, as we read some of the buzzwords in those headlines, I’d like to unpack what they can mean for us personally.
As the sports world shuts down temporarily and we no longer have sports to watch, I believe this is a great opportunity to slow down and “hit the pause button” in our lives.
Let’s face it, between juggling work, family, and games we’re all running hard with maxed-out schedules. We have very little downtime, quiet time or moments to catch our breath. Now is our chance!
By taking advantage of the free time that has all of a sudden opened up, we can use it to reflect, be still, and evaluate our lives. We can enjoy extended time with God, resting in His presence, and hearing His voice without the normal competing sounds of March Madness.
Before we know it, we won’t miss the games as much because we’ll be filled and satisfied by the One who loves us and desires for us to sit at His feet.
Psalm 46:10 (AMP) encourages us to “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
Luke 5:15-16 (ESV) tells us that Jesus withdrew and paused to pray even as His ministry was thriving: "But now, even more, the report about Him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear Him and to be healed of their infirmities. But He would withdraw to desolate places and pray.”
As we spend more time with the Lord we’ll be led to take a long look at where we are, who we are, and who we want to be. In light of the sports world “postponing,” “suspending,” “canceling,” “scrapping,” or “delaying” their events, what aspects of our lives need to do the same?
Maybe we need to delay taking on more projects at work to have more margin or cancel other activities that are only stressing us out instead of adding value. Or maybe there are specific sins that need to be “scrapped” right away.
We should be regularly considering these things, but we know it’s hard when life is busy and another game is about to start. So with “March Quietness” underway, let’s move past discouragement to maximize this unique time in sports history.
All the leagues are taking the next few weeks to evaluate and analyze and make important decisions, so let’s do the same.
As 2 Corinthians 13:5 (AMP) puts it, "Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as believers. Examine yourselves ! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit?”
Let’s find a way to have a great weekend without sports...we’re in this together! I’m Bryce Johnson and you can UNPACK that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for this opportunity to push pause and evaluate my life. I pray I’d use this time to seek You, rest in You, and enjoy Your presence. Show me what I need to cancel or delay in life to focus on what’s most important right now. I pray for wisdom and peace. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Discussion Questions for PACKS:
How would you like to maximize the next few weeks without sports?
What is something you think you need to consider canceling or delaying?
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