During the regular season (yes, I am talking MLB and the Tigers) it became my regular habit during the last two months to turn on Bally sports around 7:00 a.m. to watch the replay of the Tigers game from the day before. Yes, ordinarily I had already seen the game and knew the results. And, yes again, I was more likely to watch the replay if the Tigers had won the game. This is a little more difficult in the postseason because I would have to actually record the game (and I’m just too lazy to do that). Though I must admit, Tuesday morning after staying awake until 11:30 p.m. to watch the end of the Lions’ game, I did enjoy watching a replay of that game.
Monica often says to me, “But you’ve already seen the game!” I tell her, “I enjoy watching the game. In fact, in some ways it’s even more fun knowing the ending ahead of time.” I can tell you with certainty if I had watched a replay of Tuesday’s playoff game I would not have had the knots in my stomach in the 9th as I did the first time around.
And now that I think about it, our lives are nothing but replays. No, I’m not talking about reincarnation, and I have no thoughts about coming back as a pig or a cow. I am more talking about the daily remembrance of our baptism. God uses Paul to first describe what takes place in our baptism: “We were buried with (Jesus) by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6.4) Luther explains this thought by stating, “The Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.” (SC HB 4) In other words, every day is a replay of the baptismal pattern of the day before.
And, as we live these replays, it is great to know how the “game” ends. Again God’s word through Paul helps us. “If we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by word of the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4.14-17) This, of course, describes the end of ends … the end of time … the Last Day. And I love how the verse preceding these begins – “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters” (1 Thessalonians 4.13a) In other words, God wants to be sure that we, as his people, know how the “game” ends … and that it ends in victory.
This makes living the daily “replay” all the more enjoyable … and those crazy “ninth innings” less stressful. “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined … and those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified.” (Romans 8.28-20) Please do not get caught up with questions about predestination. Instead, we relish the fact that we “who are called according to God’s purpose” are “also justified, and those he justified, he also glorified.” It’s all about living the replay while knowing the end.
This changes the way I read the Bible. It’s great to read the same stories year after year … because I know the score at the end. Just think about Good Friday – the story is much more enjoyable because we know that Easter is coming. This “replay mentality” also changes the way I watch national and worldwide events. While not decreasing my passion-driven actions (in fact, it probably provides an increase there), it certainly alleviates the angst. Think about Jesus’ earthly ministry here – his passion-driven actions saturate the Gospels while he was fully aware that Holy Week was coming the entire time (and that, because he fully trusted the Father, Easter would follow Good Friday).
As I started writing this Wednesday morning, I decided to record this afternoon’s game against the Astros. Yes, I watched it live. And yes again, I watched it expecting the Tigers to win. And I was already getting some knots in my stomach at that time. Of course, by now we all know the exciting results and are looking forward to the game Saturday afternoon in Cleveland. Oh, how fun it will be to watch the replay … I’ll probably fast-forward to the bottom of the seventh and watch it rejoicing to the end
Replay is also the theme of the “Monday Memory Moment” I’m starting to send out every week. And, thanks to my son Joel, I now can go back to January 12, 2012. As you’ll notice when I send that one out, my life story is simply one of stumbles and falls … which are always followed by God in Christ picking me up again … which is what makes the replays soooo good (and really what life in Christ is all about).
Replays