Can Sports Satisfy?

Quote of the Day (The Straits Times, Wed, Aug 27 2008, Page B13)

"I have just played in the most important competition of my career. Is my life over?" YAO MING, China's Basketball star, suffering from post-Olympic blues.

Isn't it interesting to find a honest remark by a world-class athletic? It's almost as if Yao Ming has come to a road-block/reality check in his life's passion. Nowadays many people view sports as a religion because it brings excitement, fun and a great sense of achievement. But is it giving what people are really looking for?

At the end of the day, there is still a void sports cannot fulfill. God says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end."* Although one can achieve a lot in life, there is always something more the human heart yearns for because God has place eternity in our hearts. If we try to satisfy our deepest longings and cravings in the things of life(career, popularity, people, sports, fame and fortune) we will find out not too long later that they really don't work as we think they do. The fact is the eternity God has put in our hearts can only be satisfied by something eternal.

I myself have taken part in International games for Singapore (2 World Floorball Championships in Finland and Sweden). We trained hard, played hard and manage to beat the Australians in Sweden. Those experiences were great but honestly, they did not last long.

Yao Ming is right. One day we might ask ourselves the same question. It might be something like this, "I have just achieved the most important thing I wanted to do in life. Is my life now over?" Road blocks like these are good because they make us stop and think about the real meaning in life. We don't have to wait for such reality checks because God has the answer. God made us with the capacity to enjoy a relationship with Him. However we chose to sin(committed in our minds, hearts and deeds) and that came in between God and humans. That is bad news because God really hates SINS to the core since that is against His character, nature and ways. He knew humans have been separated from Him because of sin, therefore He sent His only Son, Jesus. He knew we were helpless and that is why He sent the one and only help mankind needed.

The eternity God has placed in our hearts ONLY can be satisfied by a personal relationship with Jesus. Jesus did not sit back in Heaven's Throne because He couldn't bear humans suffering, dying and going to hell. That is why He willingly came, bled on the Cross and died for all our sins. He did not stop there though - He proved that death had no power over Him; He rose again three days later and lives eternally right now!

Can you trust the One who died and rose again for you? If you admit your guilt of sin to Jesus and ask Him for forgiveness, He will do it because He has the power to and has proven it to us on the Cross where He died for our sins! Our sins earned us death and separation from, that is why Jesus paid death for us so that we can live and have peace with God. It is not automatic. Jesus wants to cleanse, change, and control your life, but He cannot do it if you don't invite Him into your heart. He stands at the door of your heart knocking every time you face a road block in life, are you willing to humble yourself and admit your need for Him?

I pray that Yao Ming will say one day: "I have just invited Jesus to cleanse, change and control my life. Now real life has just begun for me." I pray that you will too because God loves you and has a great plan for your life.

"We don't really live life until we have a personal relationship with Jesus."

*Ecclesiastes 3:11 (Bible)