The Fourth Week of Fantasy Football is in the books! Some of us are feeling pretty good, others, not so much. This devotional was originally released in 2019 but still holds true today! There have been a few edits to update it for this year.
1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Exodus 20:1-3
Right out of the blocks God issues the first commandment and most important commandment. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Even after delivering His people from Egypt, the Israelites forget about Him almost overnight. God fulfilled all of His promises and still His people looked elsewhere for help, seeking the comfort of the type of idols they had in Egypt. They didn’t trust God.
If we are not careful, we too can fall just like the Israelites.
“Do not have other gods before me.” God wants to be number one in your life. He doesn’t want to be near the top of a list. He doesn’t want to be one of your favorites. He wants to be the center of your life. Some translations of this passage use the word “besides.” What God is saying here is that there should be no other gods “besides” Him in your life.
Everyone is probably thinking that I am playing in the church fantasy football league, I am a Christian, and God is my only God. If we are not careful, this league can become your god. We can spend countless hours viewing matchups, checking who our players opponents are, making sure we have the right matchups, reading fantasy football articles, listening to fantasy football podcasts (like this great one right here!), and anything else we can get our hands on. Not that we are judging, but how does that compare to the time you spend reading God’s word? How does it compare to your prayer time? How does it compare to the time you spend in service of God’s Kingdom, leading and guiding your family, or ministering to co-workers?
“I am the Lord your God,” says Yahweh. Are we looking to God to meet our daily needs or do we find ourselves finding too much comfort in the mindless escape of a fantasy world? Are trusting in God or Goodell? Fantasy Football should be fun, but let us remember to put God first above all else!
In Christ,
Joe Aguilar
Joe Aguilar works for the Baptist General Convention of Texas. He is a former Pastor at FBCW, the manager of Team Prime Time and the host of the Commissioners’ Report Fantasy Football Podcast. He is often referred to as “Mr. RGV” because EVERYBODY seems to know Joe!
