So far I've had only one sports related prayer request. It came from a middle school boys' basketball coach who told me his team had a big game that Saturday. Before the words were even out of his mouth, he started tearing up. I could tell he loved these kids, and I suggested that coaching might even be a form of ministry for him. He nodded vigorously and then let out an embarrassed laugh. Drying his eyes, he said in the most manly way possible, "Just pray that they kick some a** this weekend." I prayed that they would leave it all on the court.
This coach's depth of emotion for his players reminded me of my depth of emotion for my own child - a small window into God's depth of emotion for us. We are so loved beyond measure, and I believe God gets teary-eyed just thinking about our efforts to do the right thing, even when we fail. God is for us, cheering us on. Perhaps even rooting for us to kick some a**.
