What did I expect? What I’ve always expected. A thrilling day with the family — to be entertained with exciting touchdowns, memorable commercials and a great halftime. None of it happened.
When we arrived at the Wylies’ that Sunday afternoon, chairs were lined up, food laid out across the kitchen island, everyone in their special jersey and colors. Our family follows six football teams during the season. None of them made it to the Super Bowl, but we choose another team and were excited to cheer them on.
Before the game, our family talked about the fun we expected to have. This day in February is about family getting together for a Sunday afternoon and finalizing the football season. We’ll drive home afterward and say, “What a special day. We are so blessed.” This time we drove home in silence and wondered what happened. We just didn’t want to talk about it.
Halfway through the game, I said to my son-in-law, “Does this game seem flat to you? No touchdowns, but Cris Collinsworth, the sportscaster, keeps saying, ‘This is a brilliantly played game. The coach is calling great plays.’ I wondered what he was saying. It didn’t seem brilliant to me.”
He replied, “It’s because the game was dominated by the defense. Collinsworth said the real hero was the player who stopped the plays. I didn’t catch his name or number. He was a quiet hero I didn’t notice.”
“And the commercials?” I said to one of the family members. “There is only one commercial that is memorable — the horse and eagle. It’s because it had heart.”
“All the commercials went so fast.”
“And I didn’t get their point. The younger generation is programmed to think faster and faster.” I thought a moment and said, “Most of the commercials had an AI theme. The reason they are forgettable is they are void of heart and they don’t relate to the heart.”
Two halftime programs, one I didn’t understand, and the alternative program felt off. The loud noise was aggressively invasive and uncomfortable. Was the spiritual entertainment competing with the world? Faith was never intended to compete or copy. We on earth do not need to try to shake heaven. Let heaven shake itself.
The next day was full of opinions about the Super Bowl: “The day was a flip-flop.” “Not what I wanted or expected.” “Did you see the other country’s flags? Why? This was our 250th year birthday, why weren’t we celebrating our country?” The opinions the following day continued. People were shaken up. Everyone wanted something different.
Why was I so bothered? Because I didn’t even see a Doritos chip? It wasn’t even my team losing. I wanted to see touchdowns, not tackles. I learned a spiritual lesson that day. It was about our expectations and how we are geared to certain demands.
God’s business is always an upside-down reality of what we think. We live to die. We give to get and the last will be first. Perhaps the Lord was showing me what was in my heart. I wanted more and anticipated what I expected.
As I pondered on the day, I wondered if there was a big difference in how the generations have progressed over the years. They stare at their phones, they multitask, louder music is better, and quick is all they need.
Are we stepping into another generation of entertainment and excitement? It doesn’t fit my Sweet Al and me as to where we are in life. But it’s unfair to expect something different from where people are today. I am always reminded we had our day.
When I read this concept, “Every occurrence in history is progressing to a greater importance to do a deeper work of meaning.” I asked myself, what did the Super Bowl and everyone’s reaction have to do with a deeper work? Where am I, our country and our society at this time of life, and what am I expecting from others? Again, familiar words came to me. “Everything is set in heaven; the noise on this earth is the reaction to it.”
These days say to me, God is upping the ante. The trials are of greater importance is to do a deeper work in our hearts. Thank you, Lord. He is not leaving us to ourselves. We expect Him to do a mighty work in each of us. That is what He’s doing even on game day. The days are shorter. We are getting closer to meeting Him face-to-face. We are still learning what we need to learn.
The world is consumed by what is important to them, what is right in their own eyes. I remember a passage where David says, “My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him” (Psalm 62:5, NKJV). The Lord will never disappoint. Sometimes we need to see who is doing the shaking.
Final brushstroke: When disappointment comes, I know I’m looking in the wrong place at the wrong people because I’ve taken my eyes off the person who is running and ruling the show. His name is Jesus. A lot of prayers were prayed for that day. Maybe God was shaking things up to let us know He is doing a deeper work.
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