"Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life"

So, are you watching the Super Bowl this Sunday? Last year nearly 100 million Americans tuned in to see the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals in an exciting game. The numbers this year will probably equal or surpass that figure. And people watch the game for all sorts of reasons.

Many of these are true football fans who just love to watch great teams battle it out on the gridiron. They get into the strategies and play calling, and secretly they wish they could do the color commentary for CBS. They could probably, in fact, name every Super Bowl Champion starting from the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, and they’d rattle off each opponent (Kansas City Chiefs), the final score (35-10), who got the MVP award (Bart Starr), and the venue in which the game was played (LA Coliseum). For us – I mean “them” – the Super Bowl is the climax of the football season; nay, the pinnacle of the entire sports year.

Others who watch the game are the casual fans, or maybe non-fans, who tune in for the social event the Super Bowl has become. They’re more interested in the creative, new ads that come out, and they want to see what kind of wardrobe malfunction will take place during the halftime show. But, seriously – The Who? Every show since Janet Jackson in 2004 has featured aging white men, with the exception of Prince, who’s in a category by itself.

Then there are those who have somewhat of a financial interest in the game. Did you know that you can wager on everything from which team wins the coin toss, to which player will score the first touchdown, to how many field goals will be kicked, and on and on? Not that I’m advocating betting in any shape, fashion or form. Last year the Las Vegas books recorded $81.5 million on the Super Bowl, the lowest amount wagered since 2004. And that’s just what was bet legally! Imagine if everyone who put money on the game would instead give that money to disaster relief in Haiti.

Personally I’m looking forward to Peyton Manning and the Colts dissecting the Saints’ defense. And when they get ready to hand the Vince Lombardi trophy to Coach Jim Caldwell, I’m anxious to hear him give glory to God, as he usually does, as a testimony of his faith in Christ Jesus. What a platform to express thanks and honor to the Lord!

Speaking of platforms, I’m also eager to see this 30-second spot featuring Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam. Tim Tebow is the star quarterback for the University of Florida, a two-time national champion and former Heisman Trophy winner. He’s also very outspoken in his Christian faith, and has backed up his talk by living a life of integrity and missions activity.

The ad, sponsored by Focus on the Family using private donations (outside of its general fund), is scheduled to air during the first quarter of the Super Bowl. Already the ad has generated a buzz of controversy, to put it mildly. Focus on the Family has not revealed the content of the spot, but the story involving the Tebow family is widely known.

In 1987 Bob and Pam Tebow traveled to the Philippines on a mission trip. Pam was pregnant with the couple’s fifth child. While there, Pam contracted amoebic dystentery, a condition which threatened her life and that of her baby. Her doctors advised her to abort the pregnancy in hopes of saving her life. Pam refused, and gave birth to Tim on August 14, 1987. And now you know the rest of the story.

Focus on the Family says the ad’s theme will be: “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.” Celebrating life is always a beautiful choice. I hope this message encourages and inspires young women and families everywhere to treasure the gift of life, and to make abortion unthinkable. And I hope it points people to the ultimate source of life through Jesus Christ our Lord. For it’s only by His mercy and grace, because of His blood shed on the cross and His resurrection from the dead, that we can receive forgiveness of our sins, that we can receive the abundant life He offers to us now, and that we can receive eternal life in heaven.

A Colts win might produce a spontaneous celebration in our home, maybe even a little dance. But that will utterly pale in comparison to the celebration in heaven over even one sinner who repents and turns to Jesus.