I am a bit bleary-eyed this morning after watching a whole day of college football bowl games. My day started at 11:00 a.m. and didn’t let up until about 10:00 p.m. (when I gave up and went to bed at halftime of the Fiesta Bowl— and therefore missed the best game of the day, Boise State’s thrilling OT victory over Oklahoma). Arkansas lost to Wisconsin, but then they always lose their bowl game-- sort of a New Year's tradition. The highlight of the day was USC spanking Michigan in the Rose Bowl. I was so tired of hearing of how Michigan should have really been in the national championship game because EVERYONE knew that they were the second best team in the country. Well, it turns out, they were the second best team in the Rose Bowl!I was reminded of something while watching the Cotton Bowl which was broadcast on Fox with legendary broadcaster Pat Summerall doing the play-by-play. Granted, the game was a defensive struggle with Auburn beating Nebraska 17-14. And Summerall has always been a bit reserved and understated in his announcing (he used to work with John Madden who had enough enthusiasm for both). But Summerall seemed absolutely asleep at the mike yesterday. What could have been an exciting and close game became completely boring. When the first touchdown was scored (and there weren’t many), he announced it with a flat “there’s a touchdown.” No excitement. No college rah, rah. Nothing. It absolutely ruined the game for me. He didn’t seem to be excited about the game, so I wasn’t exited either.
If we are passionate about something, should that not be obvious from how we approach it? If we are truly excited about being Christians, should people not see that by how we live our lives? If we are truly moved by God’s mercy and grace, should that not be obvious from the way that we worship? If we are excited about what the future holds because God is on His throne, should that not be seen in the way we approach the future? I’m not a rah-rah kinda of guy, and jumping around like a cheerleader on too much caffeine is not what I’m suggesting. But should there not be an evident exuberance, excitement and enthusiasm in the way we approach Christian life and worship?
Yes, we all show excitement and enthusiasm differently, but should not those around us be able to tell that we are excited and enthused? If we approach our life and worship in a perfunctory and obligatory way, does that not reveal a lack of excitement about what we are doing? And if we are not excited by what we are doing, how can we expect other people to be exited and want to join in?
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Ps 100:2
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
NIV
If we serve God with a sad countenance, because we do what is unpleasant to us, are we serving Him at all? Isn’t obedience which is not voluntary more like disobedience? God sees our hearts and if we serve Him from a mentality of force, and not because we love Him, will he not reject us? Those who are cheerful in their service of God show that the Joy of the Lord is our strength. Let us show to the people of the world, who think our religion to be slavery; that it is to us a delight and a joy! Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.
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