Devotion 1.15.19

Listening to Dallas Cowboy fans after Sunday’s game on social media, I thought they’d finished the season 2 - 14 and missed the playoffs.  I went and looked at the standings again, and yes, with certainty, they made the playoffs and beat teams during the regular season that they weren’t supposed to.  As I listen to Cowboy fans, there is the hand-wringing that comes with fandom:  Dak isn’t the right QB (he was the second coming his first season);  Jerry Jones is an idiot (he certainly has never overcome his first season firing the beloved Tom Landry and the beloved GM Tex Schramme, but as a businessman, he’s built the Dallas empire to the point it’s close to surpassing the NY Yankees as the number one financial sports enterprise); the defense let us down (the defense was a surprising league-leading defense this year); and Jason Garrett’s an idiot (I can’t argue that because I don’t follow Dallas that closely, but I’ve seen worse in football).

It seems to me that the affliction that we find in sports is also one that we find in ourselves that afflicts faith.  Worry, Hurry and Blame, the Three Stooges which are obstacles to faith and in other areas of life.  

Two Sundays ago we looked at the Three Stooges who are obstacles to faith in a classic story from Luke 10, that of Mary and Martha.  Martha, frantically preparing the meal for Jesus who has stopped by the house to rest (hurry and worry).  Mary sitting at his feet listening to what our Christ has to say.  Martha, looking at Christ, pleads with him to lodge Mary from her seated position to help (blame).  Martha even says, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.”  As an aside, that translates to a prayer to Christ sounding like this, “Jesus, I’m not sure you’re listening, I said fix this and now.”  Hurry, Worry and Blame.  

As we talked in Sunday school, we noted that it is understandable to be in Martha’s shoes.  After all, this IS the Christ.  This is bigger than the president coming to the house.  This is God in human form, so who wouldn’t want it to be perfect?  Yet what’s the motivation?  In fact, there was notable justification by many in the class on Martha’s behalf as we talked, but the answer from Christ is clear:  “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.  Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

In the end, Martha was not right.  She allowed Worry, Hurry, and Blame, who are obstacles to faith and prayer, to afflict her.  Sit down Martha. Relax.  You are worried and hurried about many things which has you pointing the finger.  Mary is sitting and listening.  She knows where her salvation comes from.  And it won’t be taken away from her.

So where do we find ourselves in our faith and prayer life?  Distracted.  Hurried.  Worried and needing to just take matters into our own hands?  Angry and feeling rejection to the point of seeking blame for my lot in life instead of going to God in prayer to accept my own actions and seek forgiveness when they’ve alienated me from God and my friends?  The Three Stooges were in the end, cute and funny.  The Three Stooges that are obstacles from faith are far from it.  

Pray we focus on Christ and that we take everything to him in prayer.  Pray that we have the time necessary to listen and reflect on life and what the direction that Christ is sending me?

Hope Men’s Ministry