Age shall not weary them

It is late Wednesday afternoon and slowly the bruising is fading and I am sure that the pain in my left knee and lower back will eventually recede to something approaching a dull roar. You never know, perhaps the old bloke might one day concede that he is an old bloke and stop pretending that he is still in his mid 20’s!
There should be a support group for people like me. A place where I could confess with my peers, that, ‘My name is John, and I am a football addict!’ Oh yes, I do love my Collingwood AFL team and as Manly are as hated in New South Wales as my beloved Magpies in Victoria, it is only appropriate that I support the Sea Eagle in NRL; but the round ball is and always has been my first love (in football that is!).

It was a lovely afternoon on Sunday for our church birthday picnic at Fagan’s Park and as is normal for our mob, there were as many kids as there were adults with cricket and soccer clearly on the agenda. Now, Brendan will try to say that it was an accident and that his feet just clipped mine as we fought for the ball; but the incident deserved a red card and my fall deserved several freeze frame replays as well as a Gold Medal. On the tenth anniversary of the Sydney Olympics, I deserved a 9.9 for my triple somersault with half twist and pike on the run.

A few weeks back I was informed that my old soccer club, Ballarat, a long time member of the Victorian Soccer Federation had chosen their top 100 players of all times and that one John Thornton who played between 1972 and 1978 had been honoured among that number. I played for three other senior clubs in my time but those years with Ballarat were easily the most enjoyable of my sporting life. We played a high standard of football and generally the people were of a similar calibre. They were really good days and those times summed up why I hardly see a soccer match from one year to the next. It’s just not the same unless you are in the game. I’m a lousy spectator.

In the Book of Hebrews we read: ‘And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.’ Hebrews 10:24, 25

When I began to attend a local church on a regular basis in 1983, I was not going there to learn about Jesus, though I did learnt a lot about Jesus. I was not going along to sing my favourite songs as I didn’t really know any. I was not attending to hear inspiring messages, though I did get to hear a lot of those! Initially I went because I promised the God that I wasn’t completely sure I believed in that I would go; but I stayed because I felt my life being restored. Bit by bit.

Church for me has never been something that I attend as much as it has been my life blood. I loved the camaraderie of a sporting club, but the company of the saints beats it comprehensively. Sunday worship is the pinnacle of my week and now that I have the privilege of leading a congregation the mountain has just grown a little higher. I know people who say that they live out their Christian life and don’t need to attend church. Of course you can and I feel dreadfully sorry for you as you are content with the appetiser and so often miss the main course and sweets.

Yes, the church will let you down from time to time and if you commit to a group of people you are going to get hurt occasionally. It is all true. But among all of the dross for some strange and wonderful reason, God loves to be among his gathered people just doing all kinds of good stuff. Over the past two Sundays in particular, I have been blessed by simply being in the company of the saints. I love it.

I was approached to sign for the Ballarat Soccer Club several years before I eventually chose to join in 1972. I was enjoying being a big fish in a small pond with another club. Playing at a level that immediately stretched me and lifted me was the best thing I ever did. I wish I had joined years earlier when the opportunity was first offered. I feel a bit the same way about my late commitment to the church; but I’m still glad I signed on when I did.