Sitting in a coffee shop in New Orleans this morning reading 1 Corinthians, thinking of how uncommon it is to read your Bible in public here compared top in Baton Rouge. And as I think about that, my mind goes to why – New Orleans, like many other large metropolitan cities, is more culture-forward, fully embracing whatever society says is good. And if that is in total contrast to God’s Word, then fine by society. I can go into all kinds of those culture-forward ideas embraced by the current big American pop culture but I’ll refrain from the political debate today.

But in that line of thought as my eyes scan the words written by Paul to the church in Corinth, I can’t help but make the connection. Verse 18 of chapter 1: “For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The world as a whole doesn’t get it because they are blind to it. Without the Spirit’s intervention in my life, I am blind to it, too!! Nothing meant as super spiritually mystic there by “the Spirit’s intervention in my life.” All I’m saying is that God, by way of His Holy Spirit, illuminated the truth of the gospel to me and compelled me to Himself some years ago and my life has been forever changed. What once would have been foolishness to me, is everything to me today. This is not a “we are better than you” logic at all, nor “us vs them.” This is the gospel of salvation – we all start off in life blind and foolish to the truth. But God gives us all a glimpse of Himself at some point, though those instances look different for each of us, and we choose whether we will believe in Him and allow Him to regenerate our hearts.

Gonna chase a rabbit for a minute because I think this is important. I heard a sermon today from John MacArthur on my way into NOLA. If you haven’t listened to him preach, you should! But anyway, he said something that really sunk in for me: when we are justified (the point of salvation), we aren’t “converted” per se. We are dead and alive again (regenerated) – the flesh and its evil desires are killed and we are made alive to God in Christ Jesus (see Ephesians 2, Romans 6). That is the great paradox of truly living – we must die to live. But along with that Biblical logic, after we are saved we do not have the old self and the new self living together in us. Rather, we have been reborn (see John 3 where Jesus talks to Nicodemus) – the old is gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). To explain the fight that still goes on in the life of a believer between doing what is right and doing what is wrong (look at Ephesians chapters 5-6 and Romans 7 for more!), our new spirit that has been reborn within us dwells in a sinful mortal flesh of man. So that is why the struggle persists – if we are saved by grace through faith in Christ we have been justified (made right with God) but we will be sanctified (made more like Christ) until we go to be with God forever with our new perfectly holy bodies (glorification). Salvation is three processes in one (justification – sanctification – glorification) but they don’t all happen at once. It’s maybe a little confusing but as you walk with God, your understanding here grows.

So back to 1 Corinthians 1:18 and the cross of Christ being foolishness to those who are perishing but the power of God to those who are being saved (hopefully the paragraph above helps shed some light on Paul’s wording here of “are being saved” rather than just “are saved” – once justified, we are being sanctified until glorified). I’m saddened and discouraged when I think of how much of the world views the cross of Christ as foolishness. Just turn on the news and see the tragedies occurring around the world, tune into the political debates, walk down the street and listen to people’s conversations. It’s easy to see this verse in real life. But rather than being stuck in sadness and discouragement over it, I can be comforted in knowing that God is not surprised by how many people reject His Word. He is not surprised by how much the world is calling evil good and good evil (it is nothing new – Isaiah 5:20). I can be encouraged that above all the tragedy, conflict, unrest, disunity, violence, pain, suffering, godless living, God is sovereign. He is above it all. And whatever occurs today, tomorrow, next year, in a decade, doesn’t change God’s overarching plan to reconcile the world to Himself. One day every knee will bow and tongue confess. Do we believe that? Do we really understand the gravity of that promise? If the knees are not bowing and tongues are not confessing now, the day that scripture is talking about when they all will is judgment day. No one will have a choice because we will all see the Lord of Lords and King of Kings as He is, full of glory and honor and praise, just and holy and righteous. That is a beautiful thing but a scary thing. God is not a God to be mocked or taken lightly, so how urgent must we be to proclaim truth in the words we say and the way we live?

The sermon I briefly talked about earlier didn’t just make me think about people around the world who might claim to be Christians but don’t really know God (their hearts are far from Him, evidenced by the way they live with no regard for His Word – check out Matthew 15:8). But more than this, it made me check in on my own life, my own heart. Does my life show a heart that has been reborn? Do the words I say and things I do (and don’t do) reflect a new life in Christ? But don’t stay on the surface level; take it deeper – do your attitudes and thoughts glorify Christ or the constructs of man? What fills your mind? Anger, envy, immorality, anxiety… Shift those thoughts. How? The Word. Daily, consistently, persistently. Don’t just read it before bed and fall asleep because you’re not even awake enough to pay attention. Meditate on the Truth! Let it fill you and direct your whole life.

If I’m honest, I haven’t adjusted well to starting back up at school in Baton Rouge. I’ve been struggling to manage my time well – it’s been school/studying and lots of working out/training, but my quiet time with the Lord has been sporadic. And my mind and heart suffer the consequences. Depression and anxiety creep back in. Comparison and envy suck the life out of me. Self-doubt crowds out all my hopes and aspirations. I’ve had this schedule shift for about a month now, and I’ve already felt so slumped spiritually, mentally, and emotionally, even though I was thriving this summer. My pace was slower, my days were more structured, my schedule was quieter. But while some of that is up to our discretion, some of it is just life and its seasons and we must learn to adjust. That’s where I’m at now.

I was worried about changing back to school from work this summer, back to Baton Rouge from home life. I knew that the huge change in schedule and pace and environment would challenge me a whole lot spiritually and mentally/emotionally. And here I am – I knew it was coming but haven’t adjusted well. I’m down a lot, stressed often, lonely, anxious… but my time with the Lord has been inconsistent and distracted. So how can I expect more peace when I’m not investing in my Source of peace?

It’s not the season of life killing my vibe; it’s how I’m living it!!

We often justify our slumps in life as “the season we’re in.” And sure, we can have tough seasons of life and we will have to adjust and overcome adversity, work through pain, suffer and grow slowly, etc. Of course we have those times and God is not just waiting for us to fail so He can bring down the hammer and say we’re not good enough. NOOO, that’s just not His heart. But He DOES want us to learn how to thrive regardless of the season we’re in. Not prosperity gospel type thrive – that is truth-less. But I’m talking spiritually thrive when our situation feels lame or our reality seems bleak or we look around and just don’t get why we’re here and what God is doing. Y’all, this is where it’s at! It’s easy to thrive when we’re feeling good and people aren’t letting us down and things are just going our way. But there’s just about hardly ever any growth in our lives on a deep level when there’s no adversity. What I’m trying to say is this. Don’t be a product of your season of life. Be a product of the God amidst your season of life.

Seasons might feel like they last forever, but they don’t. Though the winter is long, spring is around the corner. And now it’s fall, and I’ll throw out that it is my favorite season of all time – football, pumpkin everything, and cool air. But sometimes what I’m going through doesn’t feel all that great even though from the outside looking in I should be happy. I get that. We’ve all been there. But I’m convicted about 1 Corinthians, the John MacArthur sermon, and my slacking as of late. It all coincides for me. We are called to live our lives as a product of the faith growing in us that is by the grace of God, no matter the season. Our trajectory should always be on the path of righteousness. Yes, fall and backtrack here and there we may. But overall, what is your trajectory? Are you constantly being sanctified and looking more like Christ? Am I?? That’s the question convicting me today. What’s my trajectory? Sanctification moves forward and upward, not down and back. A Christian is constantly being sanctified, which means we understand that “to us who are being saved, salvation is the power of God.” Don’t be foolish, be sanctified.

College football. We love it, don’t we? I mean I sure do. If you know me well at all, you know I’m a die hard fan of the boys in purple and gold. And also my favorite pastime is anything football: throwing a pigskin, attending any home/away game for my team, watching College Gameday, laughing at C’mon Man on a Monday night, standing up and getting crunk in Who Dat nation for the Saints. Football is a passion for me, as it is for many. Almost a patriotic part of being American, am I wrong?

Last night, I got the privilege of getting a wonderful last minute ticket to watch my Tigers play UT in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. And let me tell you, it was lit. I especially love college football because of the heart that comes with it. The heart you see on the field and in the stands. Coaches, players, and fans alike all bleeding their school colors and filled with passion for the game and their team. It’s this unadulterated love of football. Something really draws you in.

I’ve been to tons of football games in my life. Plenty of long nights spent standing on the bleachers of the student section in Death Valley losing my voice in support of my team. The seemingly crazy girl, intoxicated by nothing more than the love of football: that’s me. We cheer, and we cheer loud. Winning or losing, we support our team. We want a good game. We want fair play. We want excitement. We want an athletic display. And at the end of the day, we want the W. Rivalries are real. Camaraderie is real. Football can make ya feel like family, or enemies… cough* cough* Bama.

But there is something deeper than the sport in all of this. If you couldn’t care less about football, you probably don’t feel too strongly about the Win column, the AP rankings each week, or what Kirk Herbstreit thinks about who’s gonna be in the College Football Playoff come December. But that’s just it, it all comes down to how much you care. And at the end of the day, football is just a sport. *Gasp* I know, tough concept. But really, it is just a game – guys throwing an oblong ball around a field, and running into each other, all with some purpose and strategy in mind. It’s enthralling to watch, and somehow fans and spectators can feel so much a part of the game even though they’re just watching in the stands or in the comfort of their own homes viewing on the TV. It’s the love, admiration, loyalty, joy, and all around heightened emotions, good or bad, invoked by the game.

Nothing wrong with football, or any sport, having a special place in our hearts. I think God gave us sports to enjoy the life He’s given us, and to allow us to grow and learn so much as people – commitment, discipline, teamwork, humility, sacrifice, etc. But can we be challenged from a look at football otherwise? I think so.

Being in that stadium last night, as many times before in other stadiums, you hear a whole lot of things. People are dialed in. That field with the 22 players on it is the focal point of those several hours of play. Though you don’t always agree with what the men in black and white stripes say, you listen because what they say matters a whole lot. And all the while whatever is in your heart tends to come out. If you’ve been to a game and lended an ear at all to what’s going on around you, ya know exactly what I mean. Who you are really tends to shine through when you watch your team play and let your words fly. And if you’re a real fan and not just on the bandwagon, win or lose, you love your team and you root for them. Vocally. Physically (you’re there in the stands or you’re watching from somewhere). Emotionally (you’re haaaappy when they win and sad when they don’t). Mentally (you might need some time to recover when they lose a close one lol). But really, football fandom is a whole-hearted kind of thing.

I have a point to all of this much beyond a turf field, clashing helmets and pads, yelling fans, and scoreboard lights. Track with me.

This is where I’m getting: What if our passion for the gospel matched, or better yet, exceeded our passion for our football team? I know in theory we might say it does. But take an honest, objective look at the scenarios here. What if we were as pumped about church as we are about gameday? What if we were as committed to time in our Bibles as we are to time in the stadium? What if we were as pumped for a salvation as we are for a touchdown? Like for real. We might say we are, but how do we respond differently? Compare the two reactions in real life. What if we were as loyal to the Lord as we are to our sports team? What if we were as vocal about the Truth of the Word as we are about a good call or a bad one on the field? What if we were willing not only to tithe but go above and give an offering to the Lord that exceeded what we’re willing to pay for tickets to games and all that goes with it? What if we were as devoted to serving the body of Christ and the least of these as we are to supporting our team?

I don’t know how many of these scenarios resonate with you. And maybe it’s not so much football as it is something else entirely. But whatever it is that encapsulates your attention and affection, big or small, how does it compare, or rather compete, with your attention and affection for the Lord and His Word?

He’s given us gooood gifts, y’all. He wants us to enjoy them. But most of all, He wants us to enjoy Him. And to be more excited and committed to Him than anything else. And sometimes even a little SEC/Big 12 match up will make you stop and think a little deeper about just what that could mean. The world is not lacking fervor. The world is full of fervor. But mainly over things that don’t last and essentially don’t matter. But wouldn’t it be a pity if the world knew my team but didn’t know my Lord? It can sound silly but it’s true. It’s easy to loudly represent secondary things and fail to adequately and accurately express the depths of the primary thing: the transformative gospel.

The world doesn’t need teams to represent but a spotless Lamb to represent them before the righteous Judge. We don’t need to find a way to win; we need to yield to the One who has already won. We don’t need to cheer in hopes of a victory but rejoice in knowledge that the victory is already ours. But the thrill of competition is not over – there is an enemy to face every day and we must train ourselves in the Word to be ready for his trickery, strengthened to resist his threats, and conditioned to maintain an explosive offensive game to boot.

Football is fun and being a fan is one of my favorite things; and it helps me see how I can always challenge myself to be a better follower of Christ. All I’m saying is, if we can be so enthusiastic and in-tune to something as non-life-altering as football, can’t we dig a little deeper when it comes to the doctrine of what we believe? Can’t we show a little more fervor about gospel? Can’t we make sure evvvverybody knows who’s team we’re on when it comes to eternity and that we want them to join us because victory awaits? Y’all this isn’t huge; this is everything. So let’s get excited, people, because the Savior of the world ain’t boring. Just look at what you love. And let it teach you how you can love the Lord and your neighbor better.

That’s all for now. And that’s still a Geaux Tigers. But life is just much deeper than that; don’t miss it.