As most of you know, I am a sports fan, which means if there is a ball involved and a score is kept, then I will pay attention. Last month I even watched many of the World Cup soccer matches, and they fascinated me. The tournament, which included 32 national teams, was held in South Africa and the host nation was overjoyed to welcome the teams, their fans and the worldwide viewing audience. For me, the soccer was entertaining, but it was the atmosphere of the tournament that drew me in and kept me coming back.

I’d been trying to put into words what I saw in the people at the World Cup, but I hadn’t been able to do it justice, and then last week I read an article that put a word to what I’d witnessed, Ayoba. Ayoba is an Afrikaans word which means brilliant, but more. It means joyous, but more. It means awesomeness, but more. Basically the article I read suggested there isn’t a word in the English language that comes close to describing the happiness that is Ayoba. Ayoba drew people to the World Cup in the same way I wish people were drawn to God. God is beyond brilliant, beyond joyous, beyond awesomeness, and God is with us always, not just every four years like the World Cup.

God is beyond Ayoba. God does great things everyday, one person at a time. God is behind the acts of kindness that lift us up when we are sad. God is the creator of the magnificent world we live in, the love we know and share, the community of Christ that we belong to. God is beyond Ayoba, because, God is God. I suppose it as the people’s obvious bliss at the World Cup that reminded me of the bliss that is ours in knowing God’s love. To which, the only proper response can be to shout, Ayoba and Halleluiah!

Peace,

Chris