Live, Tape Delay...What's it Matter?

As Erin and I watched some of the Olympics last night, I couldn't help but recall what some have attempted to make a big kerfuffle over NBC's insistence on not showing some events live, waiting instead to show them in primetime where advertising dollars are at their highest. Some would argue that it's ridiculous to show events that have already happened and of which the world already knows the results. I must say that even though I knew the outcome of the swimming and gymnastics for that day, I couldn't help but get caught up in the excitement of the action - great athletes putting everything on the line to bring home the gold.  The fact that is was on tape-delay had no real effect because the joy was in watching the drama unfold.

For the church, we already know the outcome of creation - at the end, Christ will come again in glory to judge the quick and the dead, and creation will be restored to it's proper relationship with it's creator.  What we are doing by living our lives as the community of faith, those attempting to be faithful to God's calling, are doing is participating in the event that has an already-known outcome, which in no way takes away from the dramatic excitement of the event itself.

Coming into our fall activities as a congregation, may we never lose sight of the fact that we are part of a much bigger narrative - a story of reconciliation, redemption, and grace - that has already been decided, but has plenty of great stories to grow and develop as we anxiously and actively await the final victory and prepare to feast at God's heavenly table. 

Grace and Peace, Lamar