Football fans love to chant and cheer for their team. By wearing their team’s kit, following them on social media and going to the games, fans leave no doubt about where their loyalty lies.

Our sports loyalties can remind us that our first and greatest loyalty must be to our God. I think of such loyalty when I read Psalm 34, where David draws our attention to Someone much more important than anything else on earth.

When David says, “I will bless the Lord at all times” (V.1 ESV), we are left to think about the gaps in our own lives when we live as if God is not our everything. When he says, “his praise will always be on my lips” (V.1), we think about how many times we praise things or people more than Him. When David says, “My soul shall make its boast in the Lord” (V.2 NKJV), we realise that we boast about our own successes more than what Jesus has done for us.

It’s not wrong to enjoy our teams, our interests and the things we’re good at. But our highest praise should go to our God who made us and the things we enjoy. “Glorify the Lord with me: let us exalt his name together” (V.3).

By: Dave Branon

To Pray About . . .

Father, help me to praise You and to boast in You. Help me to keep my focus on You.