For Nil

Last month I went to watch a game of Association Football to mark an important avuncular birthday. I was never very good at football, and this probably rendered it tedious to observe. Getting home to ‘watch the footy’ has never been a priority, and the weekly, late Saturday afternoon football results were of little interest to me, saving the sound of Des Lynam’s oddly melodic voice and some of the strange club names he repeated (like Queen of the South, Hearts, Charlton Athletic, Accrington Stanley). Watching the live game, however, was rather more thrilling. My uncle is well regarded in that club; before kick-off, the Manager and then the club’s owners called into our private box to pay court and offer greeting. To his delight, the Shrimps won 4-0 against Eastleigh, adding to the celebratory mood.

Although I am still disinclined to watch football on TV, going to watch live matches, despite the high ticket costs, is increasingly attractive. Even without the private box with its elitist feel and rather nice food and halftime drinks, somehow watching a live game makes one feel like a participant rather than a spectator. The supportive roar of a crowd (not unlike the mocking sneers and chants of opponents’ supporters) may well affect the confidence of a side. To be a part of it, to be there when ‘it’ happens, to witness the scoring or missing of a goal, to shout a diagnosis of a Ref’s obvious, partial sightedness, is so much better than just sitting in an armchair and commenting on an electrically powered box.

The same might be said for church. There are many who call themselves Christians, and of that group many who actually are, but from the action, they absent themselves. From the thrill of sharing Jesus Christ with those who don’t know Him, to praying for others, to joining corporate worship and making decisions about gospel work, they excuse themselves. Then, there are those who turn up and swell the numbers but tend to just observe, rather than cheering on or lending support. We are not just called to watch the action but to participate. We cannot all be good footballers, nor pastors and preachers, but we can all join in and be part of the great Match, the battle of the ages.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12, NKJV

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