Deeanne Gist - www.deeannegist.com - Inspirational Romance Author

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Divine Intervention

Do you pray for Divine intervention during sporting events? Any sporting event, whether it is professional, collegiate or your own kid's YMCA game?

I ask because of the heartbreaking series my Astros just played. Even though they lost all four games, they were not--in any form or fashion--"blown out." Every single game was of a nail-biting caliber and could have gone either way right up to the very last swing of the bat. They were packed with passion and anxiety and drama. With huge highs and devastating lows. With controversy. With new world records. With ... prayer.

I, personally, don't ask God to give a particular player a homerun, or to give our team the win, or to give the opposing team poor performance. My fear is that God just might answer my prayer and I really don't want that responsibility. I mean, what if God has other intentions? What if He had a series of ripple effects He was going to use in order to work in peoples lives (whether those of the players or the fans). I mean, the ramifications of changing the outcome of the World Series is more than I can even take in.

But even in the local games of my kids. What if I prayed that we won? And He granted my prayer with a "Yes"? And, we went to the play-offs? And then in the play-off game, somebody on our team got hurt?

No, I simply don't want that responsibility.

But, ooooooh, was I tempted last night. I managed--just barely--to keep from asking the Lord to give the Astros the win. Instead, I kept praying: "Your Will be done. Your Will be done." Then every time our player would come up to bat or something I'd ask God to bless him. (Just because we didn't win doesn't mean that player didn't receive God's blessing.)

Anyhoo, what are your thoughts? Do you ask for specific Divine intervention? Do you think it was "God's will" to have the White Sox win? Do you think I am being full of myself to assume that my measly little prayer could have that much control over the outcome of the World Series?

posted by Deeanne at 9:13 AM

6 Comments:

Barb said...: Someone else will hafta cover this one. I think the last game--of any kind--that we watched was when the Packers went to the Super Bowl. Ah, the glory days. Altho we did inadvertantly catch Sarah Hughes winning her gold medal, which was wonderful fun. Now Reggie is dead and Sarah is grown up, and unfortunately many of my most fervent prayers go up...in traffic. Which is mostly selfish. So if you're praying for the members of the team in question, that hasta be more noble than praying for a break in heavy traffic! (My Bible doesn't have a point value sheet for prayer types.) I did notice you used the term YOUR Astros. This is obviously very personal for you!
Meg said...: Sorry about the Astros, Dee. I was rooting for them in my detached-from-baseball way. I'm just not into baseball. (Sorry.)

Once in a while, when NHL is actually working, I catch myself beseeching the Almighty for a goal for the Red Wings. Yeah, I know. They're goons on skates. It's a bit of nostalgia for my years in Michigan, I guess. Does God care who wins? I doubt it, but sometimes I can't help myself.
Meg said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
Meg said...: Oops. Double-posted somehow and had to take it away.
Deeanne said...: Oh, I don't know, Meg. I think God cares who wins. Just as much as He cares who loses. I don't think there is one single detail of our lives that He doesn't care about. (I also think He hears your prayers for the Red Wings and takes your cry into consideration. The answer may be "no" but He hears it.)

Don't feel bad, Barb. I ask God to provide me with a parking space close to the door. Talk about less-than-noble prayers. That's gotta rank right up there with the best of 'em.
Barb said...: Ha! I gave up on close-to-the-door long ago, tho my husband always manages to find one there. I need the exercise anyway, plus I like to think it earns me some brownie points in the martyr department for leaving the close-up spaces for other people. :o)