The Perfect Love of God
I spent seven hours this past Sunday watching the two professional football games that determined who will play in this year’s Super Bowl. In one game the Baltimore Ravens defeated the New England Patriots to earn a spot in the game in New Orleans on February 3.
I was glad to see the Ravens win. Dannell Ellerbe is a member of the Ravens and played his college football at my alma mater, the University of Georgia. Michael Oher also plays for the Ravens. The story of his overcoming insurmountable odds has been chronicled in the movie “The Blind Side.” I’ve always enjoyed watching Ravens running back Ray Rice play the game as well. The Ravens are coached by a fellow named John Harbaugh.
Closer to home there was another game played to determine who would play in the Super Bowl. Sadly, the San Francisco Forty-Niners defeated our Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome. As I watched the Falcons drive the field in the closing moments of the game needing a touchdown to win my mind went back to the Georgia-Alabama game for the SEC Championship.
I was in the Georgia Dome on that occasion as the Dawgs also drove down the field for a touchdown that would win the game. Alas, the Dawgs came up short and Alabama won the SEC Championship and then the National Championship.
As the Falcons drove the field I noticed they were driving to the same end-zone as the Dawgs. The Falcons also came up short. In the words of baseball great Yogi Berra, “it was déjà vu all over again.” I have decided the Georgia Dome needs to be demolished immediately as it must be located on some ancient Native American burial ground and is cursed.
The Forty-Niners now go on to the Super Bowl, led by their rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick, whose many tattoos make him look like a wall covered in graffiti. The Forty-Niners are coached by Jim Harbaugh. Jim is the brother of Ravens coach John Harbaugh.
I suppose the biggest question between now and the Super Bowl is “Which team do Jim and John’s parents want to win?” The Harbaugh’s are from Wisconsin so they will not naturally be a fan of the Ravens or the Forty-Niners.
Of course, everyday God is put in the same position of Mr. and Mrs. Harabaugh. God’s children are always in competition with each other. Two people apply for a job. Both need the job badly. They both pray for the job. What does God do? Who does God favor? Both persons are his children. God loves them both.
Two business persons bid for a contract. They are both good ethical Christian business persons. Both pray for success. What does God do? Who does God favor? Both business persons and their employees are his children. God loves them both.
Two nations go to war. Both nations are filled with Christian people. People of both nations pray to God to bestow his favor on their side. Of course God deplores war. What does God do? Which nation does God favor? God loves them both.
I remember my junior year in high school. The football team on which I played, the Tattnall Square Trojans, was tied for the lead in our region with the Stratford Eagles. In those days only the region champion made the state play-offs. We faced off with Stratford and lost 45-16. When I arrived home after the game I said, “We all prayed that we would win.” My mother said, “Don’t you think some of those boys from Stratford were praying too? God loves them just as much as he loves you.”
God doesn’t have favorite children. The truth is God doesn’t love any of his children any more than any of the others. There are times in life God simply has to stand aside and be prepared to share in the joy of some of us children and join in the grief of others.
Maybe on Super Bowl Sunday Mr. Harbaugh will remember that Jim always liked to back talk a little too much when they were kids while John always said “yes sir” and “no sir” and slightly pull for John. Maybe Mrs. Harbaugh will remember that John never made his bed or took out the trash while Jim was a little more helpful around the house and pull for Jim.
Of course, I am quite certain they will support neither son over the other. In fact, on Super Bowl Sunday they will battle mixed emotions. As happy as they will be for the winning son they will equally feel the pain of the son who loses. I may be wrong, but that is how I suspect it will take place down in the hearts of the Harbaugh family.
What I know for sure is that God doesn’t love me any more than he loves any other person. What I celebrate is that there is no one he loves more than he loves me.