Is God on my team?

It’s a common thing in sports for well-meaning players to give God praise in post-game interviews.

There are many athletes who offer prayer in tough situations. Cornerback Deon Sanders said this “When it's fourth down, I pray. I'm seeking God's help. I also pray that opposing quarterbacks will throw me the ball.” The quandary comes in when the quarterback is praying for a completion, not an interception.

We are glad that people are vocal about their faith. It’s a genuine attempt to connect their ability with sovereignty, but it can send the wrong message. Does God really determine who wins? Is it right to pray for victory, for success in our vocation?

And this question filters to our own lives. If we believe that God cares about our workplace, then Red Letter Believers naturally shouldpray for business success, for sales to come through, for our endeavors to be blessed.

Athletes – and people in the marketplace – should not be afraid to ask for God’s blessing. But we should realize that his blessing can be found even in failure, in brokenness. He is far more concerned about our character, our development as his children than the success of the world.

What do you think? Do you pray for blessing? Do you pray for your ‘team’ to win?