{"id":6174,"date":"2009-10-19T00:00:42","date_gmt":"2009-10-19T05:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/jesuscreed\/2009\/10\/19\/football-and-faith\/"},"modified":"2009-10-19T00:00:42","modified_gmt":"2009-10-19T05:00:42","slug":"football-and-faith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/jesuscreed\/2009\/10\/19\/football-and-faith\/","title":{"rendered":"Football and Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
Again, another great post from Jeremy Berg<\/a>, and I\u2019m keen to hear what you have to say. How do you respond to this mixture of football (sports) and faith? It has made the news here<\/a> and here<\/a>. Al Mohler<\/a> has weighed in \u2026 and it\u2019s your turn today.<\/i><\/div>\n

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\u201cAnd when you come before God, don\u2019t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?\u00a0Here\u2019s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won\u2019t be tempted to role-play before God.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

(Matt 6:5-6 The Message)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Footballprayer.jpg\"<\/span>October is in air and that means among other things: the major league baseball pennant race. I have been watching the MLB playoffs the past couple weeks and once again have been reminded of how big of a sports fan God apparently is. \u00a0Interview after interview, amidst showers of champaign and victory cigars (which are not my concern, by the way), I\u2019ve heard players giving credit to God for their postseason success. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, theologically speaking, it is very possible for the omnipresent God to have season tickets to every game of every sport in every city every single night. (I was imagining Him taking the best seat behind home plate until I remembered Luke 14:7-11.)\u00a0But I have to ask the question every time He is credited with one team\u2019s victory over another:\u00a0How interested is God in professional sports? \u00a0Should we assume this is where God is placing his interest and time on any given night?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0(I know, God isn\u2019t limited to one Friday night option, but you get my point.)<\/p>\n

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Now, I really don\u2019t want to be a party-pooper here. \u00a0I absolutely encourage Christian athletes to give God the glory for their talent and to be grateful for all his blessings \u2014 blessings that include the rare opportunity to play professional sports and enjoy success at it. I have said many times to the students I minister to: \u201cIf I could relive my high school basketball days, I\u2019d begin every game in silent prayer asking to let my talent glorify Him and end every game in quiet thanksgiving by my locker.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

But this is something quite different than assuming Jesus was pulling for my team over the loser, tipping my hat to Him on camera for spiritual kudos in heaven or to appear more pious and devout than I might otherwise be when not in the spot light. I can\u2019t read their hearts or judge their motives, but something just makes me cringe inside when I witness this. \u00a0<\/p>\n

What do you make of this phenomenon? \u00a0 Does it bother you? \u00a0What is the appropriate way for athletes to acknowledge God in situations like this? \u00a0What are the dangers and abuses to look out for? \u00a0Do Jesus\u2019 words above from \u00a0Matthew 6 speak to this issue at all?<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Again, another great post from Jeremy Berg, and I\u2019m keen to hear what you have to say. How do you respond to this mixture of football (sports) and faith? It has made the news here and here. Al Mohler has weighed in \u2026 and it\u2019s your turn today. \u201cAnd when you come before God, don\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[330],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6174","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\nFootball and Faith<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Again, another great post from Jeremy Berg, and I'm keen to hear what you have to say. 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