Praise Before The Trophies
by Janet Lynn Garcia
The winter season is here but we’re not quite sure what times we are in or do we? The scriptures tell us we are in perilous times. I can’t help but see this time playing out right from the Bible, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was” 2nd Peter 3:1-9 NKJV.
Another season was just completed and this is the season where the nation places their attention to a football championship stage, the first was the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) SEC National Championship game between Coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs coached by Kirby Smart.
If you enjoy football then you would know this was the game of the century the game was lopsided after the first string quarterback suffered an injury and the Crimson Tide were down by thirteen points. However, the second string quarterback made a third and twenty-six thrown to a receiver downfield and ran it into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. This game was won in overtime after an end of the regulation tie after an amazing comeback. The victory was credited to the leadership of a youthful, true freshman second-string quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Next, we have the professional National Football League season, the Philadelphia Eagles are the World Champions during the Super Bowl LII, and they won the victory against the New England Patriots 41 to 33 by the second string Quarterback Nick Voles after the first string Quarterback Carson Wentz suffered a season-ending injury to his knee. The Philadelphia Eagles would win their first Super Bowl for the first time in their franchise history. I can tell you though these two games had a very significant ring to it in this season. The season of the rise of the true prophetic voice, the season of spiritual shift’s where righteousness has fallen on the land and judgment has come for the times of purification. This is the season where we anticipate many will come back to their first love. My heart cries out for reverence and fear of the Lord.
I find it ironic for these two specific championship games there would be a similar occurrence. After the games are over the winner is always presented with the trophy and its given to the franchise owners, head coaches and the most valuable players of the games during the end of game ceremonies. The media reporters swarm the quarterback and the performing players for the opportunity to get the first interview and find out what their perspective was for winning the game. This is the pivotal time when we see the trophy being presented lifted up and paraded around and sometimes kissed by almost every player. However, the most amazing thing witnessed this year in this season of football championship games is what came out of the mouth of the second string quarterback players. Regardless, of the idolatry presented by this sport we heard the sound of revival and for Christians and the world to be paying attention to the season, we were able to witness and hear something we don’t hear as often as we should. Nevertheless, this season is different than what I’ve ever experienced or witnessed before. The second string quarterbacks both professed to give glory and honor to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These young men stood up for righteousness before the world. I believe with all my heart we are in the greatest anticipation of the greatest spiritual awakening the world has ever seen and young men like Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and Philadelphia Eagles Nick Foles are leading in the college and professional sports entertainment mountain.
While the scriptures remind us perilous times are here we can look forward to proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord with more headlines on secular news reporting like this Alabama’s online news websites such as AL.com headline reported, Tua credits his ‘Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ’ in post-game interviews and TheBlaze.com online news reporting website headline, “After winning Super Bowl MVP honors, Philadelphia Eagles QB Nick Foles gives ‘all the glory to God”. Yes, indeed the Lord is using bold, brave ambassadors to proclaim the good news in whatever season we are in or whatever sphere of influence we represent. We have much anticipation of greater days coming and this is certainly something to cheer about.