This Sunday while we watch one of the most popular American sporting events, we can also find God in the Super Bowl. During the early 1960s, the upstart American Football League (AFL) sought to compete with the more established National Football League (NFL). On January 15, 1967, the champions of these two leagues played each other for the first time. The Green Bay Packers of the NFL beat the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL by a score of 35 to 10. When the two leagues merged to form the modern NFL in 1970, the championship game became known as the Super Bowl.
Today, the Super Bowl is played every year between the champions of the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The game is so popular with American television viewers that advertisers will pay an average of 3.5 million dollars for a thirty-second ad during this year’s game (Time magazine article, by Brad Tuttle).
Professional football players devote themselves to diligent practice and to performing their best in regular games with the dream of someday becoming Super Bowl champions. This same principle applies to the spiritual life. For example, when Jesus taught about finances, he said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” (Luke 16:10, NIV). If we prove ourselves in the little things, God will use us for bigger purposes.
While David tended his father’s sheep, he sometimes had to kill a lion or a bear. Because he had experienced these victories, David was prepared to battle Goliath and was confident that God would empower him to overcome (1 Samuel 17). If we are faithful in handling our everyday challenges, perhaps God will give us the privilege, as one of his champions, of slaying a giant. Reflecting on this truth will help us find God in the Super Bowl.
Learn about the first step of becoming one of God’s champions at www.GodTest.com.
© Dianne Neal Matthews. Dianne writes articles for magazines and websites, stories for compilation books, and daily devotionals. This material is adapted from The One Year On This Day (Tyndale House 2005).
Enjoy this ad from Focus on the Family, which aired this month during the Denver Broncos vs. New England Patriots NFL Playoff game. Now that’s an ad for something meaningful and life changing!
