Who Do You Belong To?

Today's question may be a bit of a challenge for some.  As a people, we tend to put ourselves in categories.  Once we define ourselves, we quarrel with others about why our category is better than theirs.  Sound familiar?  Take football, for example.  All things are divided.  We love our teams and we love cheering for them.  Which conference is superior?  Which division has the best team?  Who will win the Super Bowl?  Every year new players are drafted.  Loyal fans stick with their team until death.  

The heart of today's question goes deeper than sports categories.  I'm looking at this question from God's point of view.  He didn't draft us to play for him, he created us to worship him.  All of us.  Even the people who choose not to be on his team.  No special abilities or talents are required to be in his category.  

I've heard every objection about why people don't believe they belong to God's team.  Perhaps they were tainted by religious people who had their own agenda.  Maybe they were abused or bullied and never heard a response when they cried out for help.  Some are simply fed up with the ways of the world and can't fathom how a loving God can allow these conditions to continue so they choose not to believe.

Consider another idea.  Maybe the Creator of the universe allows free will because that's how much he loves you.  You belong to him but you don't have to be on the team if you would rather do things your way and not worship.  Maybe it's possible that every single bad thing going on in this world is related to bad choices.  What if the reality is we are all prisoners?  We want to be on God's team but we don't know how to join.  Dark forces are in the way.  Voices get in our heads trying to tell us we aren't worthy to be on God's team.  

Consider today's story as an invitation to be on God's team.  Not in a wishy washy kind of way.  You are being drafted for a position that only you can fill.  Together, we can fight off dark forces that only want the worst for us.  Together, we can change the world.  Together, we can share our stories about how we discovered which team we belong with.  Choose wisely.  Your choice matters.  God's team is eternal.  Death is only a penalty flag.  Jesus erased every penalty you ever committed when he died for you.  That's how much God wants you.  Have a great day.