Father Appreciation

This Sunday I caught some of the Broncos/Colts football game.  The game was played in Indianapolis and the dome stadium was packed with fans wearing blue and white.  In a losing effort, Brandon Marshall had a record-setting game during which he caught 21 passes and scored two touchdowns.  After his first touchdown, Brandon gave the touchdown ball to a Bronco fan in the stands wearing a bright orange #15 Marshall jersey.  It was moving to see the appreciation of the woman who received the prize ball, clearly overcome with emotion.  I am no Bronco fan but I thought it was a classy and gracious thing to do.

The thought struck me:  see how excited people can be over a piece of inflated leather with letters stamped on it.  Am I as outwardly thankful and appreciative as the fan who received the touchdown ball with the gifts my Heavenly Father has given to me?  Am I overcome with emotion as I consider eternal salvation, joy, love, and forgiveness freely given by my flawless Savior to a flawed man like me?  That football will catch fire when a flame is put to it.  It can be lost, stolen, deflated, cut, cracked, scuffed, and scratched.  But what our great God and Savior has given us by His grace cannot be compared with a football.

Brandon Marshall singled out a fan wearing his team jersey, but Jesus singled me out and offered me the gift of salvation when I was an enemy of His.  God does not want fans but friends.  He wants people who receive His gifts as a little child on Christmas or like a grown woman on the sidelines whose dream of somehow owning a Brandon Marshall touchdown ball has just come true.  My appreciation of God ought to be great and obvious to all.  I ought to be moved with emotion when I consider what my Savior has done for me, and God forgive these often dry eyes! 

The word "appreciation" is interesting because it speaks not only of gratitude and thankfulness.  It also entails the "act of estimating the quality and value of things."  Another meaning of appreciation is "an increase in the value of something."  Is your appreciation of God appreciating?  May we value the love, grace, and mercy of God and appreciate who God is and the wonderful things He has done.