That Sunday

That Sunday!

Today is that Sunday, the one that comes around annually that seems to capture the attention of so many Americans.  Yes, it is Super Bowl Sunday, a very American tradition that celebrates both the best of American exceptionalism, and the worst of American excess.

Growing up I was a sports nut, if it used a ball and involved competition I was all-in either as a participant, observer, or quoter of stats.  To be honest sports was my passion.  As the years have grown longer this is no more the case.  We each have only so much capacity for passion, and how we direct this passion will go a long way toward determining the joy or heartache within our lives.

With Super Bowl Sunday there is so much hype, so much excitement, and so many new commercials that it is hard to look the other way.  I am thankful, as an American, that we have the opportunities to grow traditions, seek success, and enjoy the fruits of our freedom.  However, there is a cost that cannot be discounted. Our unabashed love for sports diverts our attention from more pertinent pursuits, and can become a source of conflict between ourselves and those around us.

I now ask, how do you rate your passions?  Today take a look at your life and determine what you are passionate about, and then consider whether or not you are being consumed by passions that may overtake your well being.  Is there enough room in your life to have a passion for God and His word or work, or a closer relationship to your family, perhaps a deeper passion for serving others in your work?  There are any number of other things that we can be passionate about, and the choices we make governing our passions will set a course for our lives that only we can alter through close self-examination.

Make this week GREAT!  Live with proper passions, and love those closest to you fervently, while seeking God in a closer way, with a renewed passion.