I don’t know…(maybe God is still busy trying to sort out the Rules of Rugby!)

Today MILLIONS of Americans will gather glued to their TVs to watch the Big Football Game – the Super Bowl – as the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots.

I’m sure lots of folks on both sides will be ‘praying’ their teams on to victory…

In recent months there’s been quite a bit of hoopla over God’s role in Football (re: Denver Bronco quarterback Tim Tebow’s not-so-shy expressions of faith on the field during Games & his straight-up off the field faith testimony.)

As a forever fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m kinda indifferent to the Denver Broncos (or the Giants or the Patriots or anybody else) but one thing for SURE: it’s refreshing to have a NFL quarterback (or any football player for that matter) in the headlines for his FAITH (& his stand to, like, save himself for marriage) in an industry where many player headlines unfortunately seem like Law & Order episodes (with Rapes, Violent Goings-On & Crimes of all sorts…)

Back to God’s role in Football… ok, I confess that I’ve certainly prayed (at times quite fervently) for my Team to win (with the important caveat ‘may Your will be done, O Lord.) It certainly doesn’t hurt to ask God to anoint the obvious athletic gifts granted to talented players (we all have our favorites) and then, isn’t it grand when they make a Good Play!?!

Yaaay God! (& Go Stteeeeelers!)

The thing is, we do so like our teams to win! After a victory years ago, Jimmy Johnson said, “you wake up on Monday morning & the world’s a better place because the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl. How ’bout them Cowboys!”  For sure, we’ve felt that way when the Steelers won…but then, when they LOSE, like to the Packers in last year’s Super Bowl, the world does NOT seem a better place because the Packers won! : (

Did God not hear our prayers last year? (or a few weeks ago during that slug-it-out overtime loss to the Broncos?)

Hmmn, is there a Massive Accounting Machine up in the Heavenlies tabulating a Prayer Score to determine the Outcome?  (methinks NOT!)

Maybe (gasp!) who wins Football Games is not a Big Deal to God… maybe He’s more concerned with how the Game is played (if He was watching San Francisco play the Giants 2 weeks ago, lots of ruckus & punchy goings-on then!!)

Sometimes life is like a Football Game: occasionally with soaring Faith we make winning Touch Downs & feel GREAT, but sometimes we lose – fall, trip, mess up the pass – and lousily we crawl off the field (pout, grumble, we blew it!)

Or maybe opportunities are blocked by circumstances out of our control & when we try to catch the ball with all our heart-felt best efforts, we lose.

Or maybe we have to change the way we play (especially if tackled by Health Challenges, the loss of Loved Ones or Big Blitzes sacking us flat onto our tushis!)

When tackled by difficulties or blocked from opportunities, methinks faith is not about always ‘winning’ …

Methinks God wants us to keep playing…

“…But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God & not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed…”  (IICorinthians 4:7-9)

…  Need some Help? Check out the Heavenly Playbook & listen for those Still, Small Voice Playcalls (ask for that Forgiveness Call & you’ll hear ‘all clear’); have faith to pick up that dropped Football & get back in the Game..

Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?

I don’t know…

But I DO know, He cares about me & He cares about YOU…

…& He wants to see us in that Heavenly End Zone rejoicing because we kept playing the Game (with Grace, by Faith, through Mercy& Love in HIM!)

Now the Chili Chef must go tend her simmering pots for the Big Game tonight…

Grace, peace & Faith-ball

Virginia : )

p.s.  “…maybe Mr. Tarkenton is right and Jesus doesn’t care about the outcome of a game. But as Coach Lou Holtz once quipped, ‘His Mother does!’  Go Irish.”     Tim Connors   (The Wall Street Journal, Letters to the Editor -19 January 2012)