Playing for the Home Team

Everyone that knows me well can say that I am the least athletic girl they have met. I can’t catch a ball if my life depended on it. Sports were never part of the extracurricular activities I was involved in when I was in school. I was more of an “artsy” person. I did drama, choir, art club but never really tried getting into sports. My sisters always tease me because I can’t throw a football correctly. “You throw like a girl!”, they scream at me. Once, in high school, one of my really good friends Amanda convinced me to go to her conditioning for volleyball. Needless to say, I was an embarrassment. I don’t think I would’ve even made the junior varsity team.

Ironically enough, I am engaged to a sports fanatic. And when I say fanatic, I am not over exaggerating. Edward is a mans man. He loves sports! But he mostly enjoys (to say the least) watching the Miami Heat. He will schedule his day around the time they play. It’s kind of scary to me but, hey, if that’s what makes him happy, right? The playoffs are amazing for him but not so much for me. It’s funny though, because the more I watch the games with him, the more engaged I become. His love for the game of basketball and the Miami Heat is contagious after a while. By the middle of the playoffs I find myself rooting for our home team, the Miami Heat. Chants like “3-0-5, till I Die” start to become part of my speech and I even get mad at the refs for calling something wrong.

Even if it’s just fun and games, I have learned something from this. Defending our home team is close to our hearts because our identity lies in the place we originate from. We know who we are when we know where we come from. I read an article that said that adopted children search for their biological parents out of curiosity to know if they look like them or if they share any personality traits with them. We all have a desire to be connected to and know our origin. I believe it is something God put on the inside of us. Although our geographical and biological place of origin can bring a sense of connection to us, I am speaking of our spiritual place of origin. When we have the revelation that we come straight from the heart of God and were formed by Him, we find our true identity.

The Book of Genesis tells us that God spoke to earth for it to produce living creatures according to their kind. (Genesis 1:24) But when He created man, He spoke to himself and said “Let us make mankind in our own image”, (Genesis 1:26). The animals that came from the earth can’t survive unless they stay connected to their place of origin. As is with every other creature created. That principle applies to us as well. We came from God and we cannot survive unless we are connected to Him.

When we start to uncover the magnitude of this truth we see ourselves drastically different. We start to understand why sometimes the things we are so attached to become old and uninteresting after a while. Knowing that we come from God and are made in His image, changes our perspective of life and our purpose suddenly becomes clear. The things our world and culture tells us are valuable suddenly aren’t as valuable anymore. See, the greatest revelation I’ve had thus far is that playing for my home team, God’s Kingdom, is best. It’s the place I feel most comfortable at, it’s where my gifts come alive, and it’s where I can walk in my true purpose.

When we know where we come from we:
1. Walk with authority
2. Have peace
3. Know what and Who we stand for

I believe those three things dictate how we operate our lives. Assurance and authority helps us have a healthy view about ourselves and instills the belief that we are called for greater things. Knowing we are of God and made with a purpose gives us peace. Thoughts of doubt and any sense of rejection leaves our minds. We can sleep well at night knowing we were God’s idea. Most importantly, when we stand for something, we won’t fall for anything. The conviction that comes from knowing I am God’s, helps me stand for all things that are righteous. My mind is alert and my heart can discern what’s of God and what’s not of God. Our generations identity crisis can slowly but surely be resolved, if we understand that we come from God and were created in His own image.

How can knowing you come from God and are part of His team, help you on a daily basis?