This morning I woke up, like my normal Lord’s day. I spent some time in the Word before getting ready, like my normal Lord’s day. I got all prepared to worship the Lord and drove to my local church. I attended “band” practice, like my normal Lord’s day. This morning I had time to attend our prayer morning. I don’t know why but today was a very somber day for me. (It may be because I found out one of my favorite Christian artists now rejects reformed theology.) As I prayed for service today I mentioned, and it started to bring me to tears, that there are people in Hell right now that never had the privilege to worship God and we should take it seriously. Our scripture reading for the service was Ezra 6:1-12 and in that God was very serious about His commandment to rebuild the temple. So much so that He says He’s going to kill anyone that tries to divert the people from doing it. So my prayer was affected by those verses.
After service I find out that one of the greatest and some argue the greatest NBA basketball player ever has died in a helicopter crash. Now I’ve never met Kobe Bryant but I have watched his game since he came in the league. He was an absolute beast on the court. He had what I like to say is, “Tiger blood” in his veins or what many called the “mamba mentality.” He was one of those guys that could absolutely destroy your gameplay and take over a game by himself. I only know one other guy that could do this and it’s who Kobe modeled his game after, Michael Jordan is his name. With all that’s been said and with the fact that Kobe was the best of his time and took a sports game to a whole ‘nother level, today he met his Maker.
In meeting his Maker today God did not ask how many points he scored that day in 2006 against Toronto. God did not ask how many championships he was won. God did not ask how many all star games he was a part of. God did not even ask if he was going to be in the hall of fame. Today when Kobe met God the only thing that mattered is if he knew Christ. I don’t know if he did or did not, I pray he did. However at the end of the day even the greatest of humans step off into eternity and the only thing that really matters is if we know Christ. That makes me beg the question, why do we spend so much time on things other than Him? Also, why does it surprise us when a celebrity dies? 150,000 people die everyday and we don’t bat an eye but when a celebrity (whom we love and is an idol to many) dies we don’t know how to act.
In closing, I just pray God will use this to draw others in Kobe’s family to His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the real greatest of all time and He alone deserves all our praise and glory!
For His Glory!
Sovereign Grace Apologetics 