Praying for A Win

On Sunday "The Gazette" did something unique. It started with a letter from a child who wanted to know if God cared who won the Super Bowl, or other sporting events. What the paper did was offer two takes from two of its columnists.

Paul Klee took the position that God cares deeply about sports. Of course, his piece doesn't really talk about outcomes, rather it talks about the opportunities sports provide to people, the things athletes do for their communities, and the way sports becomes a rallying point in our culture. It was a powerful column that, at times, brought me to tears as I thought about why I love sports.

The second piece, from David Ramsey, said God didn't care who won. It suggested that those that believe God has a rooting interest in who wins the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the World Series, or the church softball game don't have a firm grasp of Scripture. He talked about his own faith, his own love of sports, and how he had learned from his parents to put sports in their proper place.

If you looked at those columns, you could easily believe that one answered yes and one answered no to the little girl's query. Instead, if you really read the columns, you realize both answers are the same, coming from a different perspective. It's a glass half full or half empty situation. Neither writer implied God was invested in who won the World Series. Rather they took a different look at the role of sports.

This is a topic I've thought about many times. Once, when the Broncos were in a close game, I dropped to my knees and put my head down between plays. My wife asked if I was praying for a win. I wasn't, and in fact the thought startled me. In my life I've never prayed for God to help my team win. I believe in God. I believe He's in control of all things. I believe He cares about me, my life, and my concerns. I'm just not sure He cares if the Broncos win.

Some people have said nothing is too small to pray about. That's true. I just don't think praying for a sports team to win is what faith is all about. I suppose there's nothing wrong with it, but I don't think winning is the point for God.

And yet, I was moved by Paul Klee's column. I, too, think God cares about sports because he cares about us. He cares about the opportunities for a different, better life sports provide those in certain areas. He cares about the way people respond to blessings in their lives — like the blessing of wealth a professional sports career provides. And He cares about the things that excite us and bring us passion.

I have never cared for the New York Yankees. In fact, I intensely dislike the team and always feel some joy when their season ends short of a World Series title. But in 2001, after the attacks on New York, I was among a nation of well-wishers who cheered on the Yankees in the World Series just after the devastating attacks. In a moment of fear, uncertainty, and grief, it was sports that united us in a common bond. God cares about what moves us. God cares about what unites us. God might not care who wins, but He cares about how we live and how we play.

But mostly when I read those columns I felt joy that a newspaper in 2014 would take the time to answer a little girl's question about sports and God in a God-honoring way.