"Moving from the secular to the sacred."

Last Saturday, November 3rd, my oldest son, Robert, and I attended the LSU/Alabama football game in Tuscaloosa. We enjoyed the game (especially since the Tigers won) and enjoyed having some "Father/Son" time together.

I've been to several college football games in the past but the expectations for this particular game were high, to say the least. The two teams were tied in the western division of the SEC which meant the winner would have the upper hand going into the final weeks of the season to win the SEC West. In addition to that, the head football coach at Alabama, Nick Saban, is the former head coach at LSU and Tiger fans wanted badly to beat him! It was a revenge thing.

Saturday, as we drove over, we encountered "mucho" traffic. Interstate 20 was backed up a while. Then, when we made it to Tuscaloosa, we turned on University Boulevard to get to our parking garage. As we did, we were confronted with a sea of humanity. There were Tiger fans and Bama fans everywhere! It looked like Mardi Gras! And, unfortunately, the atmosphere was similar to that of Mardi Gras. Folks were, shall we say, "enjoying themselves." I was kind of stunned.

I love the atmosphere of college football. I love hearing the band belt out the fight song. I love the pageantry and the excitement. But as we were driving down University Boulevard on Saturday, making our way through a mass of people, it hit me. "In less than 24 hours, I have to move from the 'secular' to the 'sacred.'"

At that very moment, on Saturday afternoon at 2:30 P.M., I was very much in the midst of the "secular." Folks were having a good time. I doubt church was a thought in most of their minds. But there I was, a minister, in the midst of the "secular" yet; in less than 24 hours, I would move to the "sacred" and lead a group of people in worship and deliver a sermon.

Then another thought occurred. "That's the very position most worshipers are in every Sunday." All week, we are in the midst of the "secular" and then, we walk into the "sacred" on Sunday morning to sing hymns or choruses. And, we can easily be distracted by thoughts of the "secular" so much that it hinders us from focusing on the "sacred."

So, this week, this Saturday, specifically, be aware of the fact that on Sunday morning, you will move from the "secular" to the "sacred" and ask the Lord to help you prepare for that moment.