A few weeks ago, a pastor was reported as saying he knew why the Denver Broncos were 7-1 since installing Tebow as quarterback. "It's not luck," the pastor said. "Luck isn't winning six games in a row. It's favor. God's favor." The pastor seems to have skipped a few theology classes.
To be fair, the player himself made no such outrageous claims. And later the pastor claimed to have been misrepresented. But there has been no shortage of sloppy touchdown theology thrown around, especially after Sunday's dramatic win. Surely there are other Christians praying just as hard on other teams. And what about the players of other religions?
Do people really think God is sitting up in Heaven on a Barcalounger, with a beer, a bratwurst and a Bronco's jersey, handing out touchdowns? Do God and Jesus support the same team? And if not, then which team does the Holy Spirit work through?
Does Mary, the sports fan, sit glued to the heavenly television set while resentful Martha makes chicken wings and guacamole in the kitchen for the Disciples? During commercial breaks, does Jacob wrestle the angel for the remote?
My guess is that God delights in prayers of all kinds, whether they come from the cathedral, the mosque, the meeting house, the exam room, the doctor's office, the traffic jam, the homecoming dance or the football field. All prayers and praise are welcome.
But as for touchdowns, skillful surgeons, happy first dates and fast lanes, those are human affairs. God doesn't reward one player with a touchdown and curse another. God gives us the instructions on how to withstand the hard times, and how to withstand the good times, with these wise words from Micah: Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God.
Here is my prayer for a little perspective in strange times like these:
God, let my successes bring glory to you and to others. Let my failures prepare me for whatever is next. Don't allow either one to define me. Or you, for that matter. Amen.
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Rabbi Shmuley Boteach: Tim Tebow Infiltrates the Secular Cathedral of Sport
Hundreds of Muslims in France block city streets, get down on their knees to pray to Allah and no one seems to question their faith in their beliefs. The Dahli Lama shows up and the news stations go out of their way to showcase his visit with the President. But goodness gracious, let a 23 year old football player take a knee and 1/2 the people in the US lose their minds. Go figure.
Watching Tebow is awesome, his devotion and belief is interesting me and no I don't think God is drinking beer or am I sure if He is even a He and not a SHE.. However, it is TOTALLY possibly..with all the people watching football and the horrible stories of the world God is sending a message to people through Tebow...which just might be saying BELIEVE!!
I think what an awesome role model for everyone, including my children!
First, take a look around at this world!
In a typical 24 hour period:
-Around 16,000 children die from starvation
-Thousands of women are victims of rape
-Nearly 100 people in the United States alone will commit suicide (over 1 million die from suicide in a year worldwide)
And I could go on and on...
God could end that all in an instant, but He chooses not to. God certainly wants to see competition and struggle.
Look at the nature of the world. Nature itself is like one big epic SPORT! (except a lot more brutal and heartless).
God created it that way. he created animals who have to chase down and cause serious pain and eventually kill other animals just to survive. and God creates animals that work in teams to collaborate to kill other animals. If they don't do this well, they will die. God made it this way.
It would seem to reason then that God would watch sports, as sports is just a microcosm of the larger world that God created, which can be seen as a way of glorifying/celebrating God.