In all of life’s crazy situations I don’t understand, I try to find Biblical precedent to help me make sense of it. This evening is no exception.
Throughout this football season, winning streak of Tim Tebow has been extraordinary. Even those who are not football fans cannot help but be amazed at his accomplishments. I have not closely followed the season, however I have read articles concerning his practice of “te-Bow-ing” to give God the glory after each touchdown; a practice which has garnished either intense admiration or extreme contempt, but very little in between. Specifically, I have watched the comment boards, wherein I have been astounded by the vitriol of those opposed to his passion on the field.
As a former witch, I was only mildly surprised to read in the news on Friday that a coven of Wiccans in Salem, Massachusetts was planning to hold a ritual on Saturday beginning at noon time to cast a spell over the game. They were going to cast a spell on Tim Tebow, because they are not “like that.” They are “good” witches. Instead, they insisted they were going to send good energy to Brady to help him break Tebow’s winning streak.
It reminded me for all the world of the Bible stories in which magicians had set themselves up against the Lord, such as Elijah and the prophets or Pharoah and his magicians. As in Elijah, those belonging to God, call upon Him to show Himself strong in a seemingly untenable situation. And so, I prayed for two days for the Lord to show Himself in a mighty way and put these witches to shame and shut the mouths of those who had spoken against our Sovereign King on the comment boards.
I am intensely jealous for His good name. When others speak badly of Him it hurts my soul! I cried out with all that was within me for this. And I believed that He is able and that He would.
Moses cried out to Him in Numbers chapter 14. In that passage, the Lord is about to strike all of the Israelites dead except for Moses and Aaron. But Moses prays on behalf of the people saying, because the Lord had taken them out of Egypt in such a way all of the surrounding peoples were aware the Israelites were God’s chosen people, if He struck them down now, all the people watching would say God was not able to finish what He had started. So, Moses prayed that the Lord would show Himself mighty in order to show that He is able and not be put to shame before them.
Having this and other Biblical precedent, I prayed the Lord would put the witches to shame and show His glory to those who had besmirched His name, so His good name would not be put to shame.
As I watched the game I knew in my soul He could perform any miracle He wanted on that field. He could part those men just like he parted the Red Sea or the Jordon River. As the points racked up in favor of the Patriots, I knew that even in the fourth quarter God could win it. I reminded myself that quite often the Lord puts us in positions where it seems all is lost in order to show us victory is not our own, therefore He receives all the glory as it is due Him.
In the end, the Broncos lost 42 to 10. I was numb.
Please understand, I don’t care about football. It matters not to me who makes it to the Super Bowl. I really have no affinity for any team. If it had not been for the challenge to God brought by these boastful witches, I would not care nor even be aware there was a game tonight. But I had prayed and believed. And then I was confused.
And so, I prayed for wisdom and understanding.
“Why Lord?! Why didn’t you show them the You that I know? How are they supposed to quiet their critics when You didn’t reveal Yourself? You promised that we who believe in You would not be put to shame and now the shameful comments will seem unbearable! Now what are we to say? If you had, so many could have come to believe in You.”
My heart was wrenched. I felt sick in my stomach.
I began to think about my children. Often they don’t understand my decisions because they don’t have all of the facts. They don’t see the bigger picture. “I still believe Lord. I know that You could, but in Your infinite wisdom there are circumstances I don’t understand. Can You please tell me why? Help me understand.”
When I had finally come to the end of my tantrum, there was only silence. And then…
“Now you understand how the disciples felt when My Son breathed His last. He could have called down legions of angels. He did not. He could have spoken a single word and killed them all. He did not. He saw the big picture. His victory came through supposed defeat. Will You please just trust Me?”
And then I was reminded, “Blessed are those who believe without seeing.”
Please understand, I was not seeking a sign in order to believe. I still believe even without one. I was praying for the Lord to show off for His glory. But we are called to faith even when it seems futile, otherwise it’s not faith.
“NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” Hebrews 11:1
The very definition of faith requires that we believe without seeing proof. And for Abraham, his faith was accounted to him for righteousness.
So, just as I believe without seeing, any who come to Christ must also believe without such proof.
God will be more glorified by people coming to believe in Christ without His grand intervention in a football game; He is more glorified by the faith of His believers than He is beaten down by the mocking of His skeptics.
Although the Broncos did not win, let alone win in grand style, I have learned a valuable lesson. His ways are not my ways. His ways are higher than my ways. His ways are unfathomable. But, He is able.
To God be the glory forever! AMEN!
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