This Sunday, Super Bowl LVI, the big game, will be hosted in Los Angeles at SoFi Stadium. You’d think that would make the NFC Champion Los Angeles Rams the home team. NOPE! This year is the AFC Champion’s turn to have the home-field advantage. That puts the Cincinnati Bengals as the out-of-towners who get to pick their uniforms (they’ve chosen black, and so the Rams will wear white). Important note, the white jersey-wearing team has won 35 of the 55 Super Bowls.
No matter the color of the jerseys, the odds-on favorite to win it all is the Rams as of today. The favorite is chosen by those who would predict the future, the oddsmakers. Those oddsmakers are putting parameters for how those who bet on the game will win or lose.
There will be a lot of wagers on this big game. In 2021, there were $4.3 billion in bets on last year’s Super Bowl. It’s estimated this year’s betting will grow to $5 billion. That’s a lot of money. You can bet many who put money down on this game will add prayers for divine intervention to come out on top.
As Christians, our prayers often come alongside the outcome we are counting on. It’s normal to set our heart where we want things to go and then ask Jesus to make it happen. And then, if God doesn’t do as we asked, did we lose? If you’re a betting man, the answer is yes…let me explain through two scenarios from the first century.
In Acts 12, Peter is jailed because Herod is playing to the crowd. James (John’s brother) was imprisoned and beheaded days before, and this puppet King got great reviews from the mob. So, naturally, Herod wants the hits to keep on coming, and he goes to get another Jesus follower. Peter is shackled with sixteen guards around him and will be tried the next day. Peter’s execution is days or hours away.
You know the story; Peter gets slapped awake and released from prison in the middle of the night by the angel of the Lord. By the time Peter gets to his friends who were praying for him to be rescued, they can hardly believe it! Their prayers were answered.
Fast forward to roughly 67 A.D., and Paul is sitting in a Roman prison. While Paul is in chains, so many of those congregations that Paul planted were fervently praying for his release. With all that God had done through Paul, why would God allow Paul to die? With prayer and God’s power, this seemed like it would go the right direction, except it didn’t. Church history tells us that Paul was executed by Nero as a scapegoating of believers.
A betting man would look at those two stories and declare a winner and loser. Then a bookie would seek to use any information as to what prayers work with God and which ones won’t so they can create the odds. However, we aren’t bookies.
Here’s a radical thought, all believers in every scenario actually “WIN”! Certainly, Peter and Paul both won, because whether they live or die – it’s a win! All those who pray also win as prayer shapes us to God’s heart. Do you buy that?
Here’s how we always win. We have decided that God cannot be controlled even though He will hear and consider our requests. As the master painter, God is creating on a giant canvas to build a picture of which He knows what is needed and how it will all be made very good. God’s masterpiece is amazing whether in doing as we ask or not.
Paul and Peter went “all in” on their life’s mission, knowing they could not lose! Our peace is found in this ultimate hope in Jesus and God’s providence. Prayers aren’t based on whether we can get Jesus to answer them the way we want. It’s all about how we look forward to eternity with Him! Paul and Peter’s life reflected men who longed to be with their Savior.
How about you? Where are you placing your bets? If today’s prayer is tomorrow’s disappointment, will you still know you “win”?
