The real "Ultimate Fight"

"you fight"

Joshua 10:25

Okay, I'm gonna break away from Olympic sports for a day to talk about a sport that I can't believe is a sport.

UFC.

Ultimate Fighting Championship.  Are you familiar with this?  I've heard the term "UFC" but I never really knew much about it until recently.  "Mixed martial arts"... I no idea what that meant...

But recently I had a chance to find out.  We were over at a friend's house, and they had it on their TV.  I sat for a few minutes and watched it, and came away a little dumbfounded.  It was astounding.  There seemed to be no strategy, no game plan other than, well, fighting.  Punching, ducking, tripping, kicking, general flailing.  They both looked exhausted, and neither one looked like they were winning.  How does one win?  How is one "good" at it?  Is it just about endurance?  Are there rules?

Not to judge ~ just my opinion ~ but not only can I not understand why anyone would participate in this, I can't understand why anyone would watch it.  To each his own, I guess.

The funny thing is, that like other things in my life at this point, it made me think of Job.  That's what happens when you're deeply entrenched in Bible study!

But UFC seemed to have a sort of "anything goes" mentality.  It seemed that you had to be ready for anything, and respond to what came, the best you could.  And I thought, "This must be what Job felt like."  After all, he was being hit from all sides ~ his home, his family, his property, his health.  There seemed to be no rules.  That's when we get that feeling, "It's not fair."  We feel that life ought to play by certain rules.

Job clearly felt this way.  He acknowledged that God is wise, strong and holy, but he also accused God of not being fair.  That seems like the worst thing he could have thought.  It questions God's integrity.  The word "fair" means "in accordance with accepted or agreed upon rules or standards."  But whose standards?  Whose idea of reasonable?  There's the rub.

But that's the beauty of what was truly happening in Job's life.  There were rules.  There was a standard.  God had told satan what was allowed as satan tempted Job to abandon his faith and curse God. 

God is the standard of "fairness" and justice.  And He is a part of everything we go through in life.  Every trial; every struggle comes to us through His hands.  And He strengthens us and equips us for what's head.  It might not all be easy, but I'd certainly rather battle what He sends than any "fighting championship" the world could send my way.

~ "Do not be afraid,

   nor be dismayed;

   be strong and of good courage,

   for thus the Lord will do to all your enemies

against whom you fight" ~

Joshua 10:25

~