Is God a Sports Fan?

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Lynn

Catholic Church urges Montreal Canadiens fans to pray for a playoff berth the headline reads and apparently an ad has been placed in all the French-speaking newspapers in Montreal calling for the faithful to pray for their “home team” the Montreal Canadiens.

“With the playoffs just two months away and the hapless Habs currently in 14th place in their conference, perhaps there’s only one thing left to do — pray.  If you were so inclined, then you might find a new ad for the Archdiocese of Montreal a tonic, knowing, perhaps, that God was on your side.  The ad, placed in Montreal’s French-language newspapers, lists the current top teams in the league’s Eastern Conference.  Then, at spot number eight — the cut-off for the playoffs — it reads: “Let us pray.”

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1128915–catholic-church-urges-montreal-canadiens-fans-to-pray-for-a-playoff-berth

When I heard that this morning, I couldn’t help but smile.  I mean I’ve been a long-standing fan of the Montreal Canadiens especially during the “glory” years when Scotty Bowman walked behind the bench as coach and Lafleur was pure magic on the ice.  I will even admit, as a sixteen year old girl, cheering on my beloved team, I did on occasion pray for the team to have victory over an opponent.  I was convinced then that God was indeed a “Habs” fan, and at least during the 70’s God seemed to listen to my prayers and Montreal did triumph.  However, as all Montreal fans now know, it will likely take a miracle for the Canadiens to get into the playoffs, let alone hoist the Stanley Cup this year.  So what happened?  Did the Canadiens fall from grace?  Did God find a new team to bless?

Interestingly enough, although there seems to be a concerted effort to ban prayer in schools, colleges, universities etc., praying before a sporting event doesn’t seem to be frowned upon.  I suppose calling on the Almighty to help the home team win is okay, as long as He stays out of the schools the rest of the time.

There was great controversy this year when Tim Tebow, the quarterback of the Denver Broncos prayed before and after every football game.  Many speculated that he was praying for victory and for many, many games it looked as though God was definitely listening to the young quarterback’s prayers, but when his team lost to the New England Patriots in the playoffs, the scoffers came out to lambast the young man’s faith.  Did God suddenly favour the Patriots and then pull His support from them in the Super Bowl and then divinely cheer on the Giants?  It is ludicrous.

“If people have been listening to anything that Tim Tebow has been saying, then they know that he never prays to win. He has said that publicly many times,” said the Rev. Brad Strait, senior pastor of Cherry Creek Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Englewood.

“The key is that many people who keep commenting on this situation don’t know very much about why believers pray. It seems that they think the main reason, or even the only reason, that people pray is to ask God to give them things. … It’s that old Santa-Claus-equals-Jesus thing. You mix all of that up with football and this is what you get.”  http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/religion-faith18011812/religion-faith18011812/

Now, I’m not Catholic but I did find an official blessing used for athletic events.  It’s found in the Roman Ritual (an official book of Church rituals, as  the name suggests), and it is published in English in the Book of  Blessings (you can find it on pages 437-438 of the current edition).

The introduction to it explains:

1024 This blessing is intended for those who participate in an athletic  event. The blessing asks that God may protect the athletes from injury and that  throughout the event they may show respect for one another.

1025 The blessing may be given by a priest, deacon, or lay  minister.

The blessing includes an athletically-themed Scripture reading (2 Timothy 4:6-8) and a prayer over the athletes.

According to the text:

1029 A minister who is a priest or deacon says the prayer of blessing with  hands outstretched over the athletes; a lay minister says the prayer with hands  joined.

Here is the actual text of the prayer:

Strong and faithful God, as we come together for this contest, we ask  you to bless these athletes.

Keep them safe from injury and harm, instill in them respect for each  other, and reward them for their perseverance.

Lead us all to the rewards of your kingdom where you live and reign for ever and ever.

Response: Amen.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/revealed-the-churchs-official-prayer-for-sports-events/#ixzz1lzm1YtI1

You will note that the blessing does not ask God to help the team win the game, but keep them safe from injury, and reward them for their perseverance.   It is a call to good sportsmanship.  Win or lose God is glorified.

Let us not lose sight of the real call to pray…salvation!  That any who compete, and all who watch, are lead “to the rewards of Your kingdom where You live and reign for ever and ever.”

That is victorious praying!

6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

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Praying for Hope

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Lynn

On December 14th, 2011 Trevor Peacock (Pastor of Harvest Chapel – Calgary) and his wife, Heather, found their nine year old daughter, Hope unresponsive at home as a result of severe complications following a routine tonsillectomy two days previous.  To say their story has touched the lives of thousands would not be an understatement.  We know the Peacocks.  My daughter, husband and grandson attend their church in Calgary.  I bump into Heather often at the Christian school where her two daughters and my youngest daughter attends.  It is safe to say that the Peacocks are very well known in the school community as well as in the community at large.  I suppose it is only natural that when we heard of Hope being rushed to hospital that day just before Christmas, our family immediately began praying for healing for her and strength for her parents and sister, Gabi.

Since that day, the Peacocks have gone through some very dark times as a family, but the prayers have sustained them.  Scripture has comforted them, God’s presense and Steadfast Love has upheld them.  The family has given glory to God through the good and the bad times.

Every day new “updates” were (are) posted on Facebook as more and more people are called upon to pray for Hope.  Before Christmas, I couldn’t help but sense the poignancy of “Praying for Hope” in the midst of celebrating the birth of our Saviour.

I won’t go into the details of Hope’s condition here, I invite you to join the Facebook group set up to give updates about Hope.  Today I just want to share the sermon that Trevor shared with his congregation at Harvest Chapel – Calgary last Sunday.  It was the first message he had preached since they rushed Hope to the hospital before Christmas.  This is a message that comes from a father’s heart, but is all about The Father’s Heart.  I share Trevor’s message because it NEEDS to be shared.  Every one of my readers world-wide, need to take time to view this video.

I invite my readers to share the video with others.  I have never prayed more for “Hope” in my life.  Please join with me as we continue to pray in the days, weeks and months ahead!

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:19-24

Hope – Pastor Trevor Sermon from Harvest Bible Chapel Calgary on Vimeo.

Posted in Inspiration & Devotion, Proverbs 16:9 - Journey Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Walking On Broken Glass

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Lynn

broken_glass_sI had been having a tough time sleeping that week.  Hibernation mode had caught up to me shortly after Groundhog Day but unlike the little varmints (gophers) who were still napping on our acreage, I had a hard time catching the “Z’s” necessary to function at peak performance.  It was equally frustrating when I couldn’t seem to find time for a good power nap through the day either.  So there were some days that didn’t go as well as I had originally planned.

Take for instance, that fateful Saturday night…

I appreciate my teens unloading and loading the dishwasher.  In fact, I don’t usually complain about them not putting dishes away in the same cupboards the dishes originally came from because I’m just glad they’re doing the task at all.  Unfortunately sometimes that means I have to go hunting for some kitchen utensil or glassware that has somehow gone “missing”, but usually it’s just been put in another drawer or cupboard.  Such was the case that Saturday.  I looked into my glassware cupboard and discovered a plethora of mismatched glasses and my OCD cut in and I just had to make it right!

The problem was lack of sleep had caused me to not think things through as well as I should have.  I am short-statured so I stand on this handy-dandy little foot stool that I keep in the kitchen whenever I need to reach high shelves.  I should have known that balancing on a stool, and reaching into high cupboards when my reaction time was less than optimal was likely not a good idea but still I pushed on.  Now, my husband, bless his heart, could hear my OCD ramblings from his station in front of the T.V. in the family room, but he did not register my grumblings enough to realize that I might just need his assistance.  I hinted, complained rather,…loudly…but he just wasn’t getting it.

Anyway, sensing I was alone in this task, I climbed up on my little foot stool and balancing on tip toe I moved a glass.  My sleep-deprived body reacted far too late to prevent the catastrophic event that happened next.  Before I knew it, a long-stemmed glass tipped over somewhere in the far recesses at the back of the cupboard.  Of course I could not reach it in time and I was helpless to prevent the domino effect that rippled through all the other glasses as they began to tumble unconstrained from the cupboard.  I made a valiant effort to juggle a few in my outstretched arms, but with my balance being precarious, my reflexes iffy, all I was able to muster was a blood-curdling scream, and just duck the waterfall of glassware!

It only took a few seconds but I’m convinced a bull in a china shop wouldn’t have wrecked as much damage.  As I stood on my footstool in shock at the glass carnage around me I heard a small voice calmly call from the family room, “Honey, why didn’t you wait for me to help you out?”

I love the man, but seriously?

At that point I was just too tired, too miserable and too shell-shocked to respond in a way to my sweetie that would have been…let’s just say…less than edifying.  Instead, inexplicably, I held my tongue, and refused to allow myself to respond to him in the manner my sin nature wanted me to at that moment.  I merely grabbed my broom and swept up the carnage.   Later, I couldn’t help but giggle when I came across this scripture:

“A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.”  Proverbs 29:11

I can’t say I have always reacted that same way as I did that night.  Let’s just say, it’s a daily struggle to not allow my emotions to overtake me and say or do something that results in much more than broken glass.  The point of course is that my usual response, sleep-deprived or not, is to make matters worse by playing the blame game for some of life’s little “catastrophes”, some of which I inadvertently cause due to my impetuous and rash judgment.  Some others are caused by someone else or through an out-of-my-control life circumstance.  That particular night I soooo wanted to lash out at my sweet husband rather than just admit I should have waited for him to “help me”.  I could have avoided the glass cascade had I done that, however, on that particular Saturday night, I was too impatient and could not blame anyone else but myself for the mess that ensued.  However, I still wanted to blame someone (my husband) for the disaster, as was my habit, but quite uncharacteristically of me, I showed self-control and did not allow my bad temper to take over.  The result was that all I damaged that day was a bunch of glasses, but our hearts were left intact.

 

 

 

Posted in Family Life, Hope through Humour, Proverbs 16:9 - Journey Thoughts | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment