Watchfulness
By Steve Bietz
Burke County
These days, since the powers that be have extended the NFL regular season, the most-watched event of the year falls in the month of February. February 12th to be exact. We know it as the Super Bowl. And attached to each year’s Super Bowl is the roman numeral that we use to count them. This year it is Super Bowl LVII. If you want to go in person to the Super Bowl this year, which is being played in Glendale Arizona, you will need to shell out close to $5000.00 a seat. A VIP seat would cost you close to $80,000.00.
Of course, most of us stay home or gather with friends and have a Super Bowl party to watch it on our big-screen televisions.
I suppose the majority watch the Super Bowl for the game itself. Many watch the Super Bowl to see the Halftime Show. I’m told the Halftime Show performer is Rihanna this year. Still, others tune into the Super Bowl to watch the commercials. I see that the price of a 30-second commercial is 6.5 million for this year’s Super Bowl. When the entire spectacle is over, I guess we rate the commercials to see if the advertisers got their money’s worth or if they should hire a new ad agency for next year. I suspect if you shell out those kinds of dollars for a 30-second commercial, you would hope for a close-scoring game so that your television audience will not stop watching at halftime if the score is too lopsided.
Although we like to watch the Super Bowl for various reasons, we seem to not be good watchers much of the rest of the time.
In the Bible, Jesus shares an illustration about watchfulness. “It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming–in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning–lest, coming suddenly, he finds you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” Mark 13: 34-37
Watchfulness is a constant admonition of scripture. Evidently, we are pretty good at watching Super Bowls but not so good at watching ourselves. The job to conquer self and constantly cooperate with the Holy Spirit is a 24/7 vigil. To watch our steps, our mouths, our eyes, and our thoughts, that we may be winning the struggle and allowing God to work in us His purpose, should be our desire. The religion of Christ transforms the heart. It makes the worldly-minded man and woman, heavenly-minded. Jesus reminds us that we are to be branches of the Living Vine, but that it will require our watchfulness in our battle with ourselves. I hear that three-part call: Watch, Pray, and Work. These three words remind me of a hymn and its first verse: “Watch ye saints, with eyelids waking; Lo! the powers of earth are shaking; Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning, Ready for your Lord’s returning.”
I suppose what makes it challenging to watch ourselves is that it is just so daily.
May you and I keep a watchful eye on our own hearts as we live for Christ and as He prepares us to be ready for when He returns.
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Steve Bietz is the pastor at Morganton Seventh Day Adventist Church. You can read more good Christian news from Pastor Steve Bietz HERE.
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Blue Ridge Christian News covers Burke County, McDowell County, Mitchell County, Yancey County, Madison County, in North Carolina, and Christian news from around the country.
