All By Myself...Shouting and Screaming Like a Madman

If you haven't guessed by now, the madman is me. Home alone not feeling well watching the Superbowl, I thought I was going to bust an artery.

One of the best Super Bowls ever, it had everything from great athletic performances, controversial calls and turn overs...I could not stay in my seat. (My humblest apologies to non-pro football fans)

I am one who loves the underdog and though I thought Pittsburgh was going to win, I secretly wanted the Cardinals to overcome. Before the Cardinals threw out the red cloth to challenge the first score by Pittsburgh, I was on my feet yelling at my television, "Throw the flag , challenge the call, his knee was down..." (As if they could hear me), but lo and behold, just before they kicked the extra point the whistle blew, play was stopped and the camera focused on the little red cloth thrown by the coach indicating his desire to challenge the premise that the touchdown did or did not actually take place. I was up out of my seat yelling and cheering, knowing that the outcome would mean the difference of 4 points.

And the rest of the game was just like that till the last 35 seconds. Play after play. Penalty after penalty. In my following NFL football for almost 45 years, I have not seen a game so filled with such action and game changing events. It took me about an hour to settle down and relax enough to go to bed.

They say there is no greater frustration than an atheist who when overcome with such and ecstatic sense of thankfulness stands there with no one to thank. I thought about how many times when God in His incredible ways and actions in and around my life performs such unbelievable things and not ackowledge such wonderfullness. What does it take to lift me out of my seat and yell and scream like a madman to give honor and praise to the Lord.

I love the passage in 2 Samuel when after trials and hardships King David finally brings home the ark of the covenant, the symbol that represents the very presence of God. David so happy so overwhelmed with joy, he strips down to his underwear and the Bible says:

“And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.” 2 Samuel 6:14

Wow! The king of a mighty nation humbling himself to give honor, praise, and worship to God. The mighty warrior king David whose battles against great and powerful nations was legend, honored God...like a crazy madman...

Now I need to say right away that I do not advocate all of us doing this in church next Sunday! What I am advocating is an incredible sense of happiness, joy expressing our spirituality in such a way that honors God as if it was the greatest sporting event ever! That we get up out of our seats and yell with all our might for the graciousness, the goodness, the great mercy, love and hope given to us by our God!

It could be life changing, in fact I know IT WOULD!