Reaction Monday - Championship weekend edition

Sometimes when I want to listen to something frivolous on the radio, I listen to a local sports radio station.  On a Monday after a Denver Bronco game, this station has a segment they call “Reaction Monday”.  While the Broncos are not in the playoffs anymore (though I give them kudos that they did appear in the postseason for the first time since 2015), I’ve borrowed their phrase for today, because the championship games occurred yesterday.  I need to write a few words about these contests.  In my last blog, I called a Bills vs. Commanders Super Bowl “my ideal matchup”.  Well, it turns out the experts who picked the Bills and/or Commanders to win were mistaken.

The Philadelphia Eagles punched their ticket to Super Bowl 59 defeating the Washington Commanders with an impressive 55-23 onslaught.  Congratulations to the Eagles for getting back to the big game.  But make no mistake about it: the game that most people will remember for years to come is the AFC Championship game.  The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 32-29.  As a longtime fan and student of the NFL, I can tell you that three other teams who had won two Super Bowls in a row had advanced to the championship game (The 76’ Steelers, the ’90 49ers, and the ’94 Cowboys).  But yesterday, the Chiefs did what had not been in the Super Bowl era: advance to the Super Bowl for a very real chance to three-peat.

Personally, I thought the pressure was on the Chiefs to three-peat, and this made me think yesterday could be a changing of the guard.  Not so.  As hard as Buffalo played, Kansas City would simply not be denied.  While some fans may not be thrilled with this year’s Super Bowl match-up, I want to take a moment and give the Kansas City Chiefs the credit they are due.  I tip my hat to Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs organization.

Some of you may know that in this blog, I used to annually give my prediction on who I believed was going to win the Super Bowl.  While I don’t do this anymore – NFL football is too unpredictable for me to do so – however, I will submit to you that as formidable and hungry as the Philadelphia Eagles look; and as much as they could give the Champion Chiefs a run for their money, they might actually even pull off the upset.  That said, it doesn’t seem smart to bet against the Chiefs from doing the practically impossible: winning three Super Bowls in a row.  Stay tuned.

Kevin

Initial thoughts for 2025

Hello!  Here it is over three weeks into January, and I’m finally submitting my first blog.  Since I am, thankfully, alive and well, it is time to begin 2025 content.

Before I jump into what I want to discuss today, let me share that yesterday I heard a sports segment on the radio where the expert gave his prediction on who would be in the Super Bowl this year.  His pick: The Washington Commanders and the Buffalo Bills.  With due respect to the Eagles and Chiefs, this would be my ideal matchup.  Behind rookie quarterback Jaylen Daniels, Washington defeated the Buccaneers and then stunned the 15-2 Lions to get this far in the postseason.  Meanwhile, Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills seem to be on a mission to get to the big game; they have to defeat the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs to do it, but considering that Buffalo did defeat Kansas City back in November, I can see them doing so again.  You know I could go on and on with this, but that’s my two cents worth.

Recently, I heard the song “Do it again” by Elevation worship.  I was so blessed to hear this work again.  It begins with these words: “Walking around these walls, I thought by now they’d fall, but You have never failed me yet.  Waiting for change to come, knowing the battle’s won, for You have never failed me yet.  Your promise still stands, great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness.  I’m still in Your hands, this is my confidence, You’ve never failed me yet…I’ve seen You move, You move the mountains, and I believe I’ll see you do it again.”  At this time of the year, it’s entirely possible that many have failed their New Year’s resolutions.  While I’m all for resolutions and self-improvement, I think it’s far better to fix our eyes on the Lord, on His faithfulness, not human inconsistency.

When I heard that song by Elevation worship again, I confess I was getting a bit emotional.  Because I resonate with the lyrics emphasis on how God has never failed me.  I can’t help but quote a slogan from Bud Light; for years.  They used to falsely proclaim that this product “never fills you up, and will never let you down.”  It’s not true.  Everyone and everything else will let you down eventually.  But not God.  In my own life, I have seen God do incredible miracles, move mighty mountains.  Lamentations 3 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness” (verses 22-23; ESV).  

Let me conclude with this.  It’s important to never forget God’s divine, miraculous intervention.  We are so prone to become amnesiacs when it comes to the works of the Lord.  The next crisis hits and, if we aren’t careful, we forget how mightily the Lord has previously shown up.  It’s so important to “remember to remember” as my pastor recently put it.  Remember how the Lord has been faithful; how, in days gone by, He showed up with “a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 26:8).

God bless,

Kevin