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By R.A. Mathews

He paints his face each week with two crosses in black. Believers know what it means — Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa gives all the glory to God.

Alabama and Dolphins fans, if you read my column last week, forgive me for leaving Tua out of my lineup of Christian quarterbacks. Actually, it’s Tua’s faith that convicted me last week.

How so?

Remember Jonah and the whale? How did the man end up tossed in the sea? 

God told Jonah to preach a message, and Jonah headed off in the other direction. Just so, the Lord has pressed me for weeks about a message I didn’t want to write. 

“Lord, no,” I said. “You’re asking me to write what I can’t do myself.” It concerned the Sabbath. 

Several years ago, I wrote about William, a young man in my church who deeply loves the Lord. But William would disappear once or twice a month from worship. He had to work. 

I asked myself then, “Just how badly do you need that lemon pie or loaf of bread you buy on Sunday?” I was taking someone like William from worship. And I knew at that moment that it was wrong.

But honoring the Sabbath for others is bigger than shopping on Sunday. That’s the message the Lord placed on my heart, and I thank Tua for his faith. For leading me last week when I ran across an old press conference from 11 months ago. 

Tua said, “For me it’s been a little tough having to play on Sundays…  not able to go to church.”

Why does a man of faith make that choice? Tua knows he’s a role model — that he can shine the light of Jesus to millions.

“Allowing me this platform,” Tua said, “you know, is to me, it’s the best thing in the world to be able to profess my faith … .” 

But, as with William, it’s painful seeing that he has to choose. It isn’t just Tua. Christian players, coaches, referees, on-air personalities, broadcast personnel, security guards, vendors — all should be able to worship on Sunday.

Perhaps you remember a time, not that long ago, when families spent Sundays together. When churches were full. When businesses closed. Chick-fil-A still does.

Then, gradually, that era eroded away. Sunday for rest no longer feels mandatory. It’s sweet and quaint, but most wouldn’t say that working, shopping, or eating out on Sunday is a sin.

It’s a lot like the belief that God loves us and will take care of us no matter what. Endearingly nice. Here’s the problem — that’s not what the Bible says. 

God commands us to believe in Christ and to seek holiness if we want His blessings (1 John 1:9,7). 

He commands us to keep the Sabbath: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all of your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work… .  For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy” (Exodus 20:8-11 ESV).

Consider Ezekiel’s chilling prophecy.

Ezekiel spoke to a nation that disdained God. A country like America. He warned of the destruction of Southern Israel. Northern Israel had already fallen.  Eleven years after Ezekiel’s prophecies, in roughly 586 B.C., Southern Israel found itself brutally conquered.

The book of Ezekiel tells us that God’s people had become so offensive to Him, that God had no choice. He had to show them who was boss. 

One of the things that most upset God was dishonoring the Sabbath. “You have despised My holy things and profaned My Sabbaths” (Ezekiel 22:8 ESV).

Contact me and I’ll point you to my column on “Ezekiel’s chilling prophecy.”

I’m not asking you to give up NFL football — I love football, too. But why does it have to air on Sundays? How many games do you see aired on the Jewish Sabbath? There are five other days for football!

Pray and open your heart. Listen and know the importance of this to God. Step away from Sunday football. 

If you do, there will be no more Sunday games. Networks need advertisers, and advertisers won’t pay for a show that has no audience. Broadcasters will have no choice, and you won’t have to miss NFL football… . If we all stand together for Christ.

The Rev. Mathews (BA, MDiv, JD) is a faith columnist and the author of the Reaching to God series and Emerald Coast: The Vendetta. Contact her at Hello@RAMathews.com. 

Copyright © 2024 R.A. Mathews. All rights reserved.