Categories: uncategorized
Date: 02 February 2007 15:29:43
This is the time of the year when prayer major part of the sport lover's life.
For football fans we have the FA Cup and league promotion, relagtion and , for the lucky few, European places. For rugby fans we have the Six Nations Championship. Cricket fans - in England anyway - have already learnt that God is not a supporter of their team.
What I've always wondered is whether or not God pays attention. I mean, He can't really be a Chelsea or Man U fan can he? I thought Liverpool or Arsenal were more of His kind, especially Liverpool in the 70's/early 80's.
Neither can He be a supporter of every rugby nation, or football one for that. Obviously we all know that the Welsh are His favoured nation! Why else would He give us the language of heaven? It can't really be Hebrew, have you tried ready it or speaking it? Its all squigglylines and throaty noises.
So how can we be sure that all those prayers that will be made this weekend will be answered? With prayers there is never 100% proof - though I expect to be contradicted here. Will my prayers for West Ham and Wales be answered?
Could there be miracles as West Ham avoid relegation and Wales win the Grand Slam? Both would be classed as sporting miracles, as Wales are playing 3 of their 5 matches away and West Ham don't seem to be able to win a game.
People who would never set foot into a church can be heard asking for God's help in securing a win for their team. Not just in that unknowing way but actually praying...
Yet sport is just life in small form. Many would never pray until they face really testing times. The "Lord help me and I'll" type of praying that we all know people do. The last hope of the unbeliever. The prayers that, even if answered, will never be acknowledged or thanks given.
There is something about Christian prayer that always strikes me as truer than others. Most others are ritualistic, they are said without thought - including some Christian ones. True Christian prayer comes from the heart and is personal or thoughtful. It can be linked to a specfic event or requirement.
To me these prayers are more likely to be answered as they are sincere. Yet, as we know, God doesn't always give us exactly what we ask for. We could ask for healing but He takes the person away; we could ask for peace but we're given a new challenge to confront.
The one thing I'm sure of is that He listens, considers and then acts.