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Basketball & Mutual Affection

 “Let love be genuine; hate what is evil;

hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection;

 outdo one another in showing honor”

 From Romans12:9-21

 

At one time in my teaching experience, I coached basketball.

However, I never played basketball.

The team gathered for practice,

Before a game the team huddled then cheered “Kowa Bunga!!”

We lost every game we played.

Knowing this, the wrestling team challenged them to a game assuming an easy defeat.

That would be the ultimate humiliation.

The game got underway; the basketball team surged ahead defeating the wrestlers.

“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)!”

 

I believe we live in a secular age.

By that I mean we focus on the material things around us: to the imminent, to the concrete which leads to a loss of hope about the meaning of our lives.

What importance is there in our everyday living and relationships even have?

In this secular age, God isn’t expected to be part of our lives.

 

Paul, however, talks about the promises of God, being with us in our suffering and using it to redeem our suffering by joining it with Christ’s

God is present in our suffering meaning there is no tear, hurt, or tragedy is unnoticed by God.

Love is the nature of God.

In this passage from Romans, Paul provides guidance for living out God’s love and in doing so reject the secular age.

Our calling is to live out God’s love as best as we can and leave vengeance to the Lord.

 


 

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