Lord, We Pray for a Win Today

It was thirty minutes before the big game; St. James’ Boys School and Holy Cross School were both in their locker rooms waiting to come out for the shoot around warm up. Both coaches assembled their teams and began to pray, “O Almighty God today is the big game and we pray in your name to give our boys a win.”

Pretty comical when you really look at it, both coaches praying to the same God for the same outcome but only one will get the answer prayed for. When the game is over, is it the team’s skill and player’s talent that will win the game or the prayer of the most righteous coach that wins the game.

There are examples of athletes appealing to God in every sport. When a player on a basketball team shoots up the ball at the last second without even looking they say, “He threw up a prayer”, and when a football quarterback throws the ball all the way to the end zone at the end of a game hoping someone will catch it they call it a “Hail Mary” pass.

So does God answer the prayers of one coach and his players over another coach and his players who are in the same game? Of course not!

Acts 10:33: Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God.
34: Then Peter opened [his] mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
35: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
36: The word which [God] sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
45: And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.

So was it the big game that Peter was declaring that the Holy Ghost was interested in; or was it that the Gentiles also received the gift?
What about the when the Word declares, “Then cast your cares upon Him because
He Cares for you! No request to small for He who sees the sparrow fall” is God not promising that no matter what size or weight the issue is He will hear your prayer?
So we come to the conundrum, which coach will have his prayers answered. The easy answer is whichever coach wins. The right answer is that God respects no man over another and that the team that wins wins because they are more equipped to win. They are better prepared, better skilled; execute the game plan better and many more factors.
So as both coaches bow their heads in prayer before the big game the players can be comforted by the fact that pray is communication with the Heavenly Father and that comfort may just be what they need to get their game in gear and win.