Pastor’s Post
“Changing Sides”
(Keep on the side of Jesus)
Switching sides has always happened. Some people switch political sides based on who is running and what their policies are, some will join the “competition” of their workplace, while others “join the bandwagon”, meaning becoming a fan of a team just about the time they are ready to win in the playoffs or championship. (Afterall, everyone wants to experience the thrill of victory).
I’ve been a Mariners fan for most of my life; from the 95’ playoff run through the 21 yr. playoff drought, before eventually reappearing in the playoffs a few years back (to the surprise of everyone) and even up through the midpoint of the season when the M’s were 10 games over .500 This year I decided to change teams. The Mariners have had what has been described as an “all world” pitching staff. These pitchers rank high in almost every important pitching category and can hardly be faulted for where the team is currently. The problem has mainly been their hitting. It isn’t there. It hasn’t been there for years. That’s not why I am changing teams. I finally realized my problem with the Mariners is their “philosophy of winning”. It isn’t working and hasn’t worked for decades, and nothing is being done to change that philosophy. The M’s ownership is content with paying for mediocre teams, while other teams, such as the Yankees are far more proactive in trying to secure a consistent winning team.
Switching teams, especially midseason brings a lot of razzing…even justified at times. In my mind, why not, I don’t agree with the Mariners management. Sometimes switching sides makes a lot of sense but not always. In the book of Jeremiah, we find God’s people switching sides, but of an even greater magnitude, and for a worse reason.
Instead of following the God who is leading and loving them, who has proven himself over and over through time, they have decided to “switch sides” and go after false gods. Jeremiah 2:11 “Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.” In God’s mind, this is something unheard of! (practically) Everyone in the whole nation has deserted God and followed every false god they could get their hands on, and disobeying God in almost every way they possible.
Why were God’s people “changing their gods” (switching sides)? It wasn’t because God let them down, they just preferred what the “false gods” allowed or permitted, instead of what God said was best for them. We as the people of God today can essentially do the same thing. We may not bow down and worship a false god…but we can go with the same flow of thought as the people back in Jeremiah’s day and do whatever the world around us thinks is acceptable, without giving any thought to what God wants.
So, my little secret is out, razz me all you want 😊…I’m now a Yankees fan. (though part of me still roots for the M’s) Switch teams that you root for, or businesses that you work for, but be resolved to “keep on the side of Jesus”.
Go Yankees!
~Pastor Josh