For the fool speaks folly, and his heart is busy with iniquity, to practice ungodliness, to utter error concerning the Lord, to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied, and to deprive the thirsty of drink. Isaiah 32:6

This year's Super Bowl is a memory. Since my Chicago Bears weren't playing, I decided not to go.

Still, those folks who did visit New Jersey's MetLife Stadium found they were greeted by a religious billboard outside the sports arena. Well, actually, they were met by an anti-religious billboard. Supported by the American Atheists, the billboard showed a priest holding a football and giving a thumbs up to support the sign's message:

"A 'HAIL MARY' ONLY WORKS IN FOOTBALL."

There are a number of things which could be said about that sentence:

1. A "Hail Mary" doesn't always work in football. If it had, the final score of this year's Super Bowl game might not have been so lopsided.

2. The concept of the "Hail Mary" prayer is not found in Scripture. This is a fact which the American Atheists may or may not have known.

Now it occurs to me the folks who brainstormed that idea behind that sign must have had a field day exploring all the various ways they could stick to the theme of the Super Bowl, make people smile a bit, and still get their anti-God point across.

You can almost hear them chuckle as they considered, "You only live life once. There is no instant replay" or "This life is all there is. There is no goal or God to go" or "A KICKOFF can be the beginning of a game or the end of your life."

Well, the atheists have taken their shot against God. Now it's right that we hear what the Lord has to say about the atheists. In Isaiah, the Lord says,

* they speak folly;

* they practice ungodliness;

* they utter error concerning the Lord,

and when it comes to what they do to people,

* they leave the hungry unsatisfied and

* deprive the thirsty of drink.

The Lord sums up such a person by saying he is a "fool."

Truly, given a choice between following a fool who would rob people of any hope of forgiveness and heaven or the Savior whose sacrifice for humankind guarantees these things, I know whom I will listen to and whom I will gladly worship.

By God's grace, together we will follow, and bear witness to the Christ who said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, keep me from that which is foolish and draw me ever closer to the Savior who said and did all that was necessary to give us hope. In His Name I pray. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Exodus 27-28    Mark 1:23-45

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