The Seattle Seahawks take on the Denver Broncos during Super Bowl XLVIII this Sunday.
Does God really care who wins the big game?
Most people do. More than 50% of people believe God plays a role in sports. Almost 26% of people pray for their favorite sports team. And over two-thirds of Americans think pro athletes have a greater influence than pastors, according to Barna research.
An increasing number of famous athletes are boldly sharing their faith, painting verses on their eye black, kneeling in the end zone, and giving God the glory in interviews. Tim Tebow, Josh Hamilton, Reggie White, Kurt Warner, Tony Dungy, and Colin Kaepernick have all declared their faith in public.
Seattle Seahawks coaches and players produced a video sharing their testimonies. (Click here to watch). Quarterback Russell Wilson believes “God placed me in this city for a reason. I’m going to trust that, that never wavers for me. I’m going to trust that the Lord has put me here for a reason.” (Source)
When asked if God cares about football, quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning said, “I pray to keep both teams injury free, and personally, that I use whatever talent I have to the best of my ability. But I don’t think God really cares about who wins football games, except as winning might influence the character of some person or group.” (Manning by Peyton and Archie Manning, available on Amazon, here.)
Instead of asking, Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?
Maybe we should be asking, What in the Super Bowl is glorifying God? [Tweet this]
While we can’t control what happens at the big game this weekend (or who wins), you can control how you can glorify God this weekend as you watch. [Tweet this]
Invite some hard-to-love people to your Super Bowl Party. Choose to support organizations whose goal is to care for the poor. Pray that God will be glorified no matter the outcome and that players will have the boldness to use their platform to share Christ with their teammates, coaches, and fans.
And… Go Broncos!
What do you think: Does God care who wins the Super Bowl? Have you prayed for your favorite team?
