Super Bowl Day of Prayer

It’s official, the stage is set: 49ers vs. Chiefs in Vegas. The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League, known as the second-largest day for U.S. food consumption (after Thanksgiving Day), and one of the most-watched American television broadcasts of the year, with many looking forward to see the creative and expensive commercial advertisements during the broadcast. This year, viewers will include fans of Taylor Swift due to her dating Kansas City Chief tight end Travis Kelce.
For many years the game was played on the first Sunday in February, but the date of the game had to be reset after the NFL decided to expand the schedule to 17 games, which means that on this Sunday, February 11, the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will play in Super Bowl 58 to decide the 2023 league champion.
In the midst of all of the happenings and interests, Sunday, for many people, could be called a National Day of Prayer. While not sanctioned by any denomination or governmental decree, chances are there will be more prayers sent heavenward this Sunday than most Sundays. It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and prayers will be going up for favorite teams by fans, players, family members, coaches, and investment brokers all over this country.
Can our prayers have an influence on the outcome? I confess I’m more than happy that there are public figures acknowledging the importance of faith in their lives, but I’m not so sure about the implication that Jesus Christ helps anyone "kick butt" on or off the field, except maybe in cases of spiritual warfare.
I don’t believe coin tosses and football games are the best testing grounds for our prayer life, and “Hail Marys” aren’t the only ways to connect with the divine.
Jesus had three years in which to save the world. He spent those three years investing everything He had in building a team. This team He chose would be charged with continuing His ministry and carrying the gospel into and throughout the world. Before He chose His team, however, He spent the night in prayer (Luke 6:12-13). The greatest decision Jesus made for the sake of the gospel was made after He spent the night in prayer to God. Only after that extended time in prayer did Jesus choose His disciples.
That raises some important questions for all of us as Christ Followers. Following the example of Christ, do we pray before we make important decisions in our life? Do we ask for God’s guidance? Do we ask for God’s help to be all that we can be in upcoming events?
Prayer changes things. But more importantly, prayer changes us. A prayer-conditioned life conditions us to receive God’s presence and power.
So, should players be praying for a victory this Sunday? I believe the outcome will be dependent on human effort and circumstance, not divine intervention. God may inspire players to do their best, but the outcome will be up to them. They should ask for guidance, wisdom, courage, and for God to enable them to use their talent to the utmost to play the best they can out on the field.
Does God care who wins the Super Bowl? No, but God does care about the players. God cares about you and God cares about me. That makes us all winners.