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Football

Whenever Labor Day rolls around I realize that summer is about to end and regular season football is about to start.  Next to NASCAR racing, football ranks as the top spectator sport in the United States.  Fans will often argue about the whether college football is more exciting than the NFL, or whether Arena Football is a real game, or should another league like the XFL even exist, or if the Canadian Football (CFL) should have a competing league. 

After all the arguing settles down we find a slight difference in rules, size of the fields or the continued rivalry between the AFC and NFC.  But mere tongue exercises do not take away from the unique excitement this sport brings to our culture.

Much in the same way the Roman gladiators brought excitement to a crowded arena, so does the modern-day gladiator, a football player, bring palpable excitement to millions of loyal fans.  There is a unique vicarious experience that happens to average “couch potato fans” that see big and quick talented men work to a point of near exhaustion in order to move a little piece of leather up and down a field mostly oblivious to the pain they are projecting onto others.

The original rugby/soccer styled game, later called football, has grown dramatically in its popularity from the early years 1890’s.  Amos Stagg, Pop Warner and other pioneers would probably not recognize today’s game.  Put the word “football” into your web site search engine and find hundreds of supportive sites dealing with topics from Women in Football to God and Football. 

Twenty-four hours a day Radio and television sports talk stations beam their messages of hope and doom to all who wish to listen.  There are speculators, prophets, reporters and stockholders all of whom consider themselves experts, most of whom still think that an athletic supporter is an excited fan.

Still with all its adulation and pomp, football is football.  It is played one down at a time and most often gains are measured one yard at a time.  With all the innovation and new technology, the most constant standard found in any huddle, on any bench, and in any locker room remains as it was from the beginning - HOPE!

A player enters summer training with the hope of making the team.  Then he must hope that his skills and knowledge so impressed the coaches that he will be selected to make the starting team.  Once the game starts the professional football player hopes he can remember all his assignments.  Then he hopes his physical and emotional capabilities are up to the challenges and stresses he will face week after week.  With each tackle there is the hope that he won’t get a career ending injury; after all even the very top players are only one play away from permanent retirement in football.

The hope-filled life of a player continues as he expects to make it to the playoffs, Super Bowl, Pro Bowl and to repeat all that the next year.  He hopes his patient family will understand that during “the Season” football has a big place in the mind and time of a professional player. 

Hope is defined as, “a feeling that what is wanted is likely to happen; desire accompanied by expectation”.  It is also defined as a trust or reliance upon something.  Many NFL or college players have come to realize that at the end of the day there is only one thing that warrant our expectations and will soothe our fears and that is a relationship with God Almighty.  He is the only thing that remains a constant and that we can place our complete trust in.

As we remember five years ago and consider the 9-11 event that captured the nation’s attention, we remember a message delivered by Billy Graham called “Living with Hope”.

“Today we especially come together …..to confess our need of God.  We’ve always needed God from the very beginning of this nation but today we need Him especially.  We’re facing a new kind of enemy.  We’re involved in a new kind of warfare and we need the help of the Spirit of God.  The Bible’s words are our HOPE:  “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.”
(Ps. 46:1,2) From Billy Graham’s Message on Sept. 14, 2001

When Dr. Billy Graham spoke at the National Day of Prayer and Remembrance he reminded the nation that our HOPE is in a caring and a loving God.  His words encouraged us to remember that there is HOPE for the present and HOPE for the future. 

The HOPE for the present is that we are seeing a nation turning its spirit and its heart back to God. 

If you are discouraged or depressed take heart my friend. 
Look at the Benefits That HOPE Gives Us:

The hectic pace of our modern society often creates more stress, chaos and confusion than it provides opportunities for a person to contemplate great truths and God’s comforting words.  For twenty-five years Outdoor Connection Ministries has tried to provide unique opportunities for folks to experience the peace and the quiet needed to restore and renew one’s body, mind and spirit. 

Tens of thousands have been challenged and comforted with God’s word as their “relaxed and calmed” minds settle in on how to more effectively live a Christian life. 

I trust you will have a HOPE-filled life and receive the benefits of a personal relationship with God. God

Bless You!
Jim