Daily Devotional

The Apostle Paul was not above using the occasional sports analogy (see 1 Corinthians 9:24–27, 2 Timothy 2:5), and I don’t think we have to be, either. On Sunday, millions in America will tune into the Super Bowl, the biggest football game of the year. I thought it fitting to list ten spiritual truths we can learn from good old American football. And don’t worry, while these truths may be inspired by football, they ultimately come from Scripture.

There’s no "I" in team.  Football is a team sport: as important as a good quarterback is, he can’t win football games on his own. Christianity, too, is a “team sport:” the Christian life is not meant to be lived alone. The church is “one body [with] many members,” all of whom are needed (1 Corinthians 12:12).

Practice hard. NFL players spend many hours every week exercising, running plays, and reviewing game film. If they want to win games, they have to practice. So it is with Christianity: a key part of the Christian life is the regular “practices” we call spiritual disciplines, like Bible reading and prayer. Paul commands Timothy to “train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).
Know the playbook. NFL teams use lots of different “plays,” carefully designed sets of routes and blocks to outwit the defense. That every player needs to know the “playbook” backwards and forwards goes without saying. Christians, too, need to know our playbook, Scripture, on which we should “meditate day and night” (Joshua 1:8).

Keep an eye on the clock. Football is carefully regimented into four 15-minute quarters. Clock management is a critical part of winning football games. Christians, too, must watch the clock, knowing our days on earth are limited. Moses calls us to “number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).

Wear your helmet. Football players, even kickers, wear a helmet and quite a few pads. Without them, they risk serious injury. Likewise, Christians have a “helmet of salvation” (Ephesians 6:17) as part of the armor of God. Entering a spiritual battle or football while ill-equipped is dangerous.

Don’t stay in the huddle. On-field huddles are important to review plays, but unless the play is run, the huddle is worthless. Yet too often, Christians attend the “holy huddle” on Sunday morning and don’t apply anything they hear. James calls this being a “hearer” of the word and not a “doer” (James 1:22).

Keep moving the chains. In football, getting a new set of downs is called “moving the chains.” If a team fails to go ten yards in four downs, they lose the ball to their opponent. In the same way, becoming like Jesus is a progressive, ongoing progress, as we are “transformed… from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18). There’s no “far enough” in the Christian life.
Block for your teammates. Although they aren’t as flashy as other players, the offensive linemen have a very important job: blocking the defenders. Christians, too, are called to “block” for their brothers and sisters in Christ, helping them defeat obstacles in their pursuit of Jesus. Paul calls this “bear[ing] one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2).

Don’t drop the ball. Dropping the ball in football is called a “fumble” and gives the other team possession if they recover it. Turnovers like this are one of the fastest ways to lose a football game. As Christians, we are called to use what God gives us wisely: to take it and run with it, as it were. We must be like the “good and faithful” servants in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25), and not “drop the ball” like the wicked servant.

It ain’t over ‘til it’s over. The most impressive Super Bowl I ever watched was in 2017 when the New England Patriots came back from a 28–3 deficit in the 3rd quarter to win the game in overtime... Likewise, the Christian life, even if we stumble or fall, isn’t over until the Lord takes us home. Paul writes, “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion…” (Philippians 1:6).

Enjoy the Super Bowl this week, and keep on following Jesus!

English Standard Version (ESV)The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.