“I prayed and the ball just went through the goal posts.”
“I said, “Jesus, help me. And he did.”
“I give all glory to my Lord and Savior.”
It’s common for well-meaning athletes to give a hat tip to God in post-game interviews. In the hero-worship world of athletics, competitors of faith are looking for some way to deflect the glory.
So I don’t fault them for trying, but some of the expressions are downright silly. They reach a little too far. “Thanks to the Big Guy Upstairs for helping me with that right hook.” “Jesus helped me accelerate and pass him on the inside of the second turn.”
Prayer during the competition is common. Retired football star Deion Sanders said this “When its fourth down, I pray. I’m seeking God’s help. I also pray that opposing quarterbacks will throw me the ball.” If I had a 400 pound lineman coming my way, I would pray too.
The quandary comes when the quarterback is praying for a completion, not an interception. I’ve seen a baseball player cross himself as he steps to the plate while the pitcher crosses himself before goes into the windup. Whose team is God on?
We are glad that people are vocal about their faith. It’s a genuine attempt to connect their ability with sovereignty, but it can send the wrong message. Does God really determine who wins? Is it right to pray for victory, for success in our vocation?
And this question filters to our own lives. If we believe that God cares about our daily efforts, then we can pray for business success, for sales to come through, for our endeavors to be blessed. Can the soldier pray for kills? Or should he or she pray for protection? He does care about our success.
Athletes – and people in the marketplace – should not be afraid to ask for God’s blessing. But we should realize that his blessing can be found even in failure, in brokenness. He is far more concerned about our character, our development as his children than the success of the world.
What do you think? Do you pray for blessing? Do you pray for your ‘team’ to win?
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