Years best

As it is the day before Christmas I want to celebrate sport from a God-point-of-view. In recent times I have begun to give thanks to God as I have realised that sport is close to his heart. What, you say? What has God to do with sport? Well, he made us physical. Ancient Greeks despised the body and celebrated the mind. They saw human existence as being trapped in a weak shadow of reality in the evil of matter. However, the Judeo-Christian ethic celebrates the whole person. We are made in God's image, physical, to eat and be whole. The Christian is the temple of God. He made us creative, creativity in forming games to enjoy is part of being human. So for me sport is one of humanities great gifts. It is a healthy way of interacting, socialising, competing and having fun.

Sport has indeed become idolatrous and tarnished with cheating through drugs etc, materialism as it has become big business and a win-at-all-costs mentality. Yet this does not invalidate sport. It is good and to be enjoyed.

I love sport. I am an indoor rower, a NZ champion and have had two age group world records. When I row I love to enjoy being human. I feel alive. It improves my health and brings balance to me.

So for me I do not worship sport, I worship the God of sport. I refuse to allow it to be my idol but something that leads me to the real God, the God who made this awesome sporting world!

And one more thing. Some see heaven as a bore! No way! Heaven will be awesome, sport, sport and more sport (for those who love it). You will be able to fully experience sport without injury and take on the big boys full on without injury. It will be undistorted. So I will keep following the God of sport this Christmas giving thanks that he became physical and came amongst us and ran, swam and threw along with his Jewish friends.

So to anyone who actually reads this; merry Christmas; don't miss Christ this Christmas.