L*** AND Saviour

All good things must come to an end, and so it is, with the English Premier League Season. I can already hear the collective sound of despair from scores of football fans who have to agonizingly wait for the action to resume in August. Fans have the unenviable prospect of finding out what to do with their weekends. However I think this will pale in comparison to the plight of hordes of Liverpool fans who will be forced to bid farewell to their Iconic no.8, Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard otherwise known as Stevie G was an exceptional player for Liverpool. Never mind the costly slip that took away the EPL from his grasp, his numerous other exploits rightfully earned him the status of legend. Who can forget that typical Gerrard strike against Olympiakos that saved Liverpool from early elimination from the Champions league or that rasping drive from long range to save Liverpool from FA Cup final heartbreak against West ham United.  Another classic moment was that bullet of a header against Milan in Istanbul to begin the unlikeliest of comebacks in Champions League history. Many times, He pulled Liverpool out from the jaws of defeat and on to the sweet taste of victory. It’s what made him the ultimate captain.

His other alias, Captain Fantastic tells it all. Stevie G was their leader on the pitch and his influence was astronomical. He was the one-club man, dedicated to the Liverpool cause, perhaps you could say he had Liverpool blood or even more fitting was that he was the heart of Liverpool. On numerous occasions he pumped with frenzied activity and gave the team life. He was their go to man when sails got rough, like every captain was. However as age caught up with him, he was forced to play less and at times watch from the bench as his teammates found the going tough on the pitch in his absence. It was frustrating to say the very least. This was most apparent during his last game against Manutd at Anfield.

After a tepid first half that saw Utd lead into the break, Gerrard was brought into the game at the start of second period.  Liverpool let Utd have too much of the ball in the first half and Gerrard rightly felt that for the Reds to get a result, he needed to impose himself.  He need to make his mark on proceedings, he had to, how can I say this kindly, STAMP his authority on the game!(hehe).  He took it upon himself to put his foot down and say,  “Enough is enough!” Too bad Herrera was nearby and bore the full brunt of his studs. There was only ever going to be one result; a straight red card.

Sometimes I feel that Christ shares Gerrard’s frustration, not getting sent-off obviously but having us to see us struggle from the bench. We have accepted him as our saviour but rather than give him the throne of our life as our Lord, we disrespectfully put him on the sidelines, as we flounder on the pitch of life with him  desiring to intervene if we would only let him.

How much better  would we perform if we ceded Lordship to him and allowed him to exert his influence on us but sadly we prefer more that he is that loving saviour that died on the cross rather than the sovereign Lord we should obey, who has duly earned  our submission as result of his death on the cross.

I think it gets lost on us that Jesus is all-knowing. All knowing encompasses all facets of life; family, relationships, career, finances, health and of course our spirituality. God’s word is inferred to be all knowing when in 1 Timothy 3:16-17, all scripture is said to be useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness to thoroughly equip the man of God for every God work. Sadly, somewhere down the line we have disregarded this truth.

Often,  his word has been described as old-school, no-longer relevant in today’s modern world. By forsaking it, it’s quite easy to lose Jesus’ guidance; it’s even easier falling into temptation. God’s word is taken to be absolute, the foundation of our Christian life  and if substituted for relative truths that change every now and then, we no longer have a robust ground to stand on but a flimsy ground that will cause us to slip or slide in our walk with Christ.

As John found out in Revelations, his word isn’t all sweet but bitter as well. That could explain why many of us are hesitant or reluctant to submit to Christ’s total lordship. Usually the world tells us what we want to hear, Jesus tells us what we don’t.

Jesus tells you to go out, witness, share the gospel  and make disciples of all nations(Matthew 28:19) while the world will tell you to keep it quiet, tone it down, and let church stay in church.  Scripture tells you not to have selfish ambition but consider others better than yourself (Philippians 2:3-4),that you should seek the good of others(Ephesians 4:17) the world teaches you to put yourself first above others. The world advocates vengeance, retribution when you have been wronged, Jesus advocates for forgiveness, forgive seventy times seven, which in essence means forgive a lot.

The world will stuff you with lust,  drunkenness  through its contemporary urban culture via music, TV, movies, fashion ,advertising while scripture will tell you to stay away from the lust and tell of Job’s example not to look lustfully at a girl(Job 31:1) and focus on sobriety.(Ephesians 5:18)

“You deserve to be wealthy, to have it all, you need the flashy car, loads of clothes, shoes.” world says. Jesus tells you to be moderate, not to be a lover of money (1 Timothy 6:10) and not  to wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom  to show restraint. (Proverbs 23:4)

It must seem the world has my back, the world cares for me, wants the best for me but it doesn’t, my Lord Jesus does. He cares because he saw that I was doomed to a death in hell, but chose instead, to die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice for my sins so that if I just confessed and believed he did so, I would have life.

Why then the restrictions, why the limitation of freedom if he came on earth to liberate us? It took me a while but I realized we are on the same team and in order to win in life, my captain needs to be at the helm. I may be confident in my strategies but Jesus knows how to win, He defeated the opposition before and if I am to share in his victory it’s only achievable if submit to him.

With Jesus as lord over my life, I have slowly come to have the psalmist’s perspective of the word in Psalms 119, a delight to follow. The world tells you rules are meant to be broken and here is a guy in Psalms  saying rules are to be loved!!!! I thought it was ridiculous but I have come to see why. Those precepts, laws, are full of  Jesus' wisdom and when applied actually give one freedom.

Application of Jesus teaching has brought various results for me. In forgiving others, I have learnt that by holding a grudge and seeking retribution, I am the prisoner not the person my hostility is directed towards and by forgiving,  end up setting myself free. In ignoring the desires of my body and avoiding lust, I have been taught of the love of giving without receiving or expecting anything in return, a love focused on the other person’s good not just my own, a love that isn’t just about how she makes me feel or how she looks. I’m not the perfect picture of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 but I’m a work in progress.

With Jesus as Lord, I have focused more on others as opposed to myself. His precepts have made me realize that as much I can get joy by helping myself, to have God get the glory plus the joy of the other person because I chose to focus on them rather than myself is way better.

Like Paul, I have also learnt contentment. It is especially difficult when the world will constantly bombard you with advertisements showing what you lack and cause you to be envious and stressed. With Jesus as Lord, I tend to realize that my perceived shortcomings in material wealth have all been made up for in numerous other blessings such as good health,  fun friends, and a loving and supportive family. As a result I complain less because I have so much to be grateful for when I count my blessings.

It’s hard to put our captain on the throne sometimes because we struggle to let go of our little comforts and pleasures. It may be hard to let go of some things. It could be hard kicking away lust, pornography or masturbation. It could be hard staying sober.  It could It could be hard leaving that guy or girl who is all physical in the relationship but nothing else or the relationship where you are the only one giving time and affection while the other just takes advantage. It may be hard leaving that job that pays so well yet causes you to compromise so much. The struggle is real for me and for every Christian but when I remind myself of the cross and Jesus’ cleansing blood and ultimate sacrifice, I know that he has more than earned his role as captain. I know that his love dying for me on the cross is sufficient proof that he cares for me when He tells me to deny those thrills that only end in disappointment and regret. With that in mind in as much as it will be a struggle, I will let him be Lord and reign over my life rather than relegate him to the bench.

How to trust God when life tells you otherwise

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I want to get a job straight out of campus, make my first million two years later, own a car and buy a house one year after that, marry the following year and be blessed with two wonderful children soon after. Sounds familiar right? It is because this is a brief representation of the common dreams, goals, and aspirations people have for their lives. Life though has a wonderful sense of humor and has a way of throwing those well thought out plans down the drain. Even funnier, is that people around you will be attaining those very same goals you have and leading the charmed life you dreamed of. Your facebook feed will be inundated with all their photos about their upgraded cars,  and their jobs, their colorful wedding, and cute babies thereafter. What seems to be my problem you ask? Like Charles Righa aka Rigga, you ask, "God, umenisahau for real?!!!" Others seem to be cruising on the fast-lane of life while you seem to be stuck in the traffic jam of life, worse than the kind motorists have to put up with with on Mombasa road and Langata road daily. It’s like your life resembles a rocking chair, full of activity but in a constant state of stagnation.

Many people spend sleepless nights, agonizing over their futures whenever something doesn’t go as planned. The levels of stress and depression today are testament to this. Many times, people being fearful of the future fervently pray to God to bless their plans instead of asking God to reveal His plans because they are already blessed.

The alarm bells are set off when one’s plans go bust but it shouldn’t be. Thumbs up to the man or woman who said this, “This is God's universe and he will do things his way, you may have a better way, but you don’t have a universe." In as much as this statement pours cold water on our courses of action, it explains just who is in charge and who knows best. After all, God was in the beginning, he is in the present and he knows the future so he is best placed to know how our lives will unfold and whom we should trust.

I know I’ve wanted answers to my future pap!!! I’ve wanted a validation from God but God as seen through scripture desires people who trust him unwaveringly without answers. He loves people who, through faith, follow his lead. He desires that we let go of our anxiety and trust him.

I guess it’s why Jesus lauded the centurion for his faith. The centurion didn’t need Jesus to go with him, he didn’t need an explanation on how he would heal his servant, he was sure he could heal him by just a word.

For others it was different , for the Israelites God’s command was to move and walk into the water. For Abraham, it was to move into a new land. Sometimes God desires transition from our part, moving to new surroundings, moving on from a dead relationship, moving to a new job. Sometimes staying in the comfort zone fearful of the future actually ushers in a grim future instead of avoiding it. 

Sometimes it is staying which is required. You need to avoid changing tact or moving even amidst hostile conditions. It’s resolutely abiding by the same course of action with no progress in sight. Some call it madness while others call it faith. I think of Daniel still resolving to pray when knowing fully well he would die for it. He didn’t complain to God about the decree, he didn’t try to reason with God, he just stayed to his convictions and trusted in God and inevitably God delivers him. 

However, unlike Daniel, for others it seems that time has stood still or God has forgotten us after either moving or staying. It seems that we are stuck in a rut. Imagine how it must have felt for Joseph, presumably wasting away in a dungeon after having dreams of people bowing to him. How about David being chosen as a second king of Israel and then having to live the life of a fugitive for years. What about Abraham who was promised a son, yet 1 year, 5, years, 10 years down the line no son was forthcoming. Waiting on God was their fort.

Waiting isn’t easy but it displays your trust in God. Waiting though, doesn’t mean you sit and do nothing but it requires you to make the best of your circumstances. It forces you to ask what God desires to teach you during this period of stagnation. It compels you to grow in the quiet, at a slow, steady pace when all around you things are growing at an astonishing rate. Most of all, waiting is a school, a school to learn a host of things about yourself and the world that when finished prepare you for your inevitable calling.

It may appear as suffering but God being God uses suffering as starter to the delightful main course of your life. It was through suffering that Job finally experienced God. It was through a long period of suffering that Job really got to know God. It was after suffering that Job was blessed more than before(Job 42:12).  It is when we know God that we can trust him, that we can chose not to be anxious about anything and let go and let God and thus experience a peace that transcends understanding. It is a peace which acknowledges that sometimes God places the believer in a storm to galvanise them not destroy them.

It’s easy for frustration to build when things don’t go your way. It’s easy to be anxious when success seems so far. I take comfort in the fact that God is in control.  You have no control over the seasons of life but God does. You don’t need to know the HOW of your life; what's important is  knowing the WHO-God.

Focus on God. Don’t look around at others, look up to God. Peter walked on water because he focused on Jesus as soon as his focus drifted to the waters and the wind, He sank. Be concerned about your life but don’t sink into worry and depression, focus on God and trust him because He is there and he is in control.

God  has a plan for you, a plan that rarely goes as per your expectations, a plan with more twists and turns than a telenovela and afrosinema movie combined but a plan for your life that is good and full of hope that will require you to trust him even when life tells you otherwise.

Football is my religion

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My eyes, focused, my body, still, my mind, analysing. This is me in front of a television set, football on the screen. Living it. Every tackle, every pass, every tactical decision, every moment of joyous celebration. It does not matter what game. It does not matter what time. This is me. My eyes, focused, my body, still, my mind, analysing. In front of a television set, football on the screen.

To say that I am a football addict is – an understatement. Football defines my world. I watch it, read about it, occasionally write about it, and mostly talk about nothing else. I play it over the weekends and coach it over the weekdays. It consumes my passions, drives my motivations. Football is tantamount to my religion.

I worship its gods, who are polytheist in nature. Today, Lionel Messi, tomorrow Cristiano Ronaldo. I associate myself with its differing denominations. Manchester United or the Argentine national team. I respond to its various doctrines. Possession football and counter attacking. Zonal marking and high pressing. I can recant verses from its rule book, and thus I know when an offside is an offside, and when an indirect free kick should be given as opposed to a direct one. And dare you find me missing mass – on Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons, and Champions League nights.

It has me questioning. Why, really?

For anyone with an obsession, this is fairly easy to answer. It may appear madness, but there is always method in it – or rather that is what I tell myself. Football is my raison d’etre. It fuels my purpose. Yet all that is in my eyes.

As a Christian, it poses a dilemma. Is a church service as important as missing that game? Is my prayer life at the same level as my hope in a Manchester United win? Do I have as much faith in God as I do in Messi scoring a goal? Can I explain the Bible as easily as I can explain football rules?

The true essence of religion is its discipline – the adherence to its rules and customs. In that sense therefore, I cannot deny – even if I wanted to – that football is my religion. If football was a crime, and I had to be charged in court, I would be found guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The evidence would be overwhelmingly convincing. If a most wanted list of football fans was to start circulating, I would be lucky not to be in it.

The question however is, would the same apply to my Christianity?

Would I be found fully culpable of being a Christian? If anyone was looking for Christians, would whistleblowers utter my name? Is my verbal claim of Christianity reflected in my actions and deeds? Does the light of God shine through me?

The truth is that, these questions would probably be answered in the negative affirmative. I am not sure whether my Christianity shines as astoundingly bright as my footballism does. And yet, as a Christian, that is the standard to which I am called for. That is the only standard to which I should aspire.

It is this that elevates Christianity from mere religion but to the level of lifestyle. Christianity = Christ-like. My life as a Christian should thus reflect Christ. That I know already. This is not something new to me. This is a message that I have heard over and over and over again. But just as the Roman poet Ovid summarises it, "We know and approve the better course, but follow the worse."

The worse course here is not my love of football – it is my love of football above all else. It is my elevation of football from mere discipline to the extremities of fandom. These extremes influence my life more than they should be. They turn a game, a sport, into a lifestyle.

And yet, implore me my sense of self-defence and self-justification. I see nothing innately wrong with football. To me, it is a neutral ground which can be used for good, or evil. It is not evil in and of itself in its purest state.

But when I elevate it to the level of God; when I attach every inclination of worth to it, I thus resort to worshipping it. That. Is. Wrong. That is taking away from the glory of God, and feeding into the satisfaction of the desires of my flesh.

The only remedy thence – as a Christian – is to let God be the master of my life. Do I know what that means? Of course yes. Ovid’s words are again appropriate here. I know the better course even when  I willingly choose the worse.

Football can be my religion. It must however not be my master. My reason for existence is God and God alone. My purpose is found in Him alone. If football is a part of it, then let it be so. But I can only find out if I surrender to Him. I must remove self from ‘self-defence’ and ‘self-justification’ so as to remain with only defence and justification. Surrendering my religion to God is the only true defence and justification.

Written by Mike Njoroge.