The Election, The Cubs and Football

By Scott Cernek, HARVEST HILLS CHURCH

 By the time this column is printed in the paper, the election will be over, and we should have a new President-elect in our country. I am so ready to be done with having to endure the brutal television and radio commercials that are being aired. These commercials cause my skin to crawl as each person tries to outdo the other in character assassination. It’s plain to see that both major candidates are flawed individuals, and so I have to remind myself that we are not voting to elect a national pastor or priest. Indeed, we are electing much more than just one person for a four year term. We are electing the policies of this new President, and that person’s ability to appoint Judges and Cabinet Members who will lead this country for decades to come. So, I have to admit, I am quite concerned about the election and what it could mean for our country. It has been said that one of the candidates we fear because of the unknown, and the other candidate we fear because of the known. I guess you can figure out which is which.

On a lighter side congratulations once again to the mighty Clinton Cougar Football Team and Coaches who took down perennial high school football powerhouse, Lancaster, on Friday night. The Cougars are now just one game away from playing at Camp Randall for the Division 5 State Championship. There are seven divisions all together for football. I have to confess that over the years, my church family has had to put up with me giving a sports report every Sunday from the pulpit, and this week was no exception. I told how, just like the Cubs who took the early lead in game 7, only to see the Indians tie up the game, the Cougars too took an early lead Friday, only to see Lancaster come storming back and take the lead. However, the story wasn’t over yet. And, just like the Cubs, who rallied and overcame the emotional mountain of near defeat, the Cougars put together a final drive of a lifetime to snatch victory away from the hands of defeat. The Cubs won the World Series for the first time since ’08… 1908 that is, and the Cougars won a level three high school football playoff game for the first time in forever. What a week of excitement and suspense.

I thought when the Cubs made it to the World Series that I would be satisfied, that they finally made it that far. But, once they got down three games to one, I realized it was going to be horribly disappointing once again if they didn’t win it all. Thanks to their amazing grit and determination to come back and win game seven on the road after giving up the lead in the eighth inning, the Chicago Cubs are World Series Champs. If the Cubs can win the World Series after being down three games to one, then anything can happen. So best wishes to our football team as they try to make history too and get to Camp Randall. It takes great heart to achieve these kinds of victories.

When God sent Samuel to Jesse’s farm to anoint a King for Israel, Jesse paraded all his big strong sons out before the Prophet so he could choose the best. When Samuel didn’t choose any of them, Jesse was confused. Samuel said to Jesse, “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Have you any other sons?” You know the rest of the story. There was one more son, David, who wasn’t very big, but he had tons of heart so much so, that he fought and killed lions and bears who tried to snatch his father’s sheep. A few months after being anointed to be the next King, he walked into the battle, and smoked the giant Goliath, leading the Israelites to victory. Later David became the greatest King in the history of the nation.

I’m looking for our team of David’s to continue the great effort on Friday night. Keep slinging those stones all the way to Slinger as we take the field against Cedar Grove/Belgium. May the strength of the Lord be with you.

Until next week, God bless.