IDOLS!!

I was talking to a pastor friend of mine over the weekend about the upcoming Blackhawks game six of the playoffs. He was telling me that I have to watch because it was going to be epic. I didn't disagree with him, I just really didn't care that much about it. Don't get me wrong. I still care if they do well or not. It's just not a priority for me anymore. You see, God revealed to me several years ago, that watching sports on tv. had become an idol in my life. Of course I didn't realize it at first because I didn't understand what an idol was. What is an idol you ask? Something that you put first in your life over everything else. That was before becoming a Christian. Once I became a Christian, I learned that an idol was something that you put before God. That described me perfectly. I was 100% sports all the time. I would schedule any event around watching my favorite baseball, football, or hockey team play on tv. I would put family on hold. Not go to anything until the game was over. I even put my first marriage ceremony on hold until after a NFL playoff game was finished. We got married on a Sunday in January. The game was at noon, I made us wait until 7:30, just to make sure. I was a fanatic. Then things started to fall apart. I felt like I was distancing myself from my family, especially my daughter. God was knocking on the door of my heart, and I didn't even realize it at the time. So after I was divorced, I started realizing that I was spending to much time in front of the television and not enough time with my family. So I started cutting back (very little). I was still glued to the important games. Then one summer I accepted Jesus, and the rest just didn't matter as much anymore. I found myself not planning on watching game seven of a crucial series with my favorite team. Instead, going out to a movie and dinner with my wife and daughter. Wow, what a change. This kept happening more and more frequently year after year. My wife kept asking me if was sure that I didn't want to stay home and watch the game, I told her no, I was right where I wanted to be. With her and our daughter. As this was happening, I kept hearing the voice of God saying "I'm tearing down that idol that used to rule your life." "You will still care and keep track of teams and games, but that will be secondary to spending time with Me." So over the weekend was a very crucial game for the Blackhawks. They were facing elimination from the playoffs, and I was content sitting together with my wife watching a movie and eating popcorn. So I thank You Lord, for tearing down and removing that idol from my life.