Hi,
I have a question:
Imagine that 2 countries are playing in a tournament.
Is it right that they pray before the Tournament to win? Surely if each side is religious and prays to win - who will God listen to? And isn't that putting God in a tough spot?
Is it therefore right to pray to God that your team wins (whether you are playing in the team or a spectator)?
And then if you pray, surely the right prayer is to wish the other team the best? So, if you love your neighbour, you should pray that the other team wins. But isn't that stupid also to want the other team to win?
Man this question is driving me crazy. Why do I think so much??
I need a vacation.
Comments
win :) I dont think its wrong to ask God to help u, but in somethings like exams its formal to ask God for His helping hand. You can still compete with your neighbour. The Holy Bible doesn't say that you shouldnt compete and wish to win against your neighbours.
May God Have mercy upon us all
Please pray 4 me
I dont know if its particularly right, but i think we have more important things to pray for rather than a ball going past a goalie, right?
it feels like a waste of time to me but i could be wrong because we should pray unceasingly. so i honestly dont know what the right answer is.
please pray for me and my weakness
God is in all our lives, the tv we want, the algerians whose tears we wipe away ;) and all our conversations, so we should acknowledge Him and His will for us. we can be humble and say, maybe God doesn't want us to win the football because life isn't just about winning it's about improving relations between groups or countries with sport or culture and especially with our discussions about God, who gives us the strength to live day by day even though we don't follow Him as we should.
so, you can cheer on your team, but also look at the good passes on the other team and say things like 'shame he's not on our side, that wasn't bad!'
we don't need to be like the world and scream 'break his leg, smash him!' but we don't need to retreat to the monastery when the football is on either. just be passionate about sport in a loving way that looks a bit different to those around you, so maybe they will start to ask you the reason for the hope that is in you.
if you find it all very boring, that's fine too. find something else you have in common with those around you to talk about, don't always hide your light!
You have 2 football/soccer teams. In each team, you have 1 Coptic Orthodox Player.
Both teams are professional teams with professional players.
The mother of each Coptic Player told her son "Pray so that you can succeed in whatever you do!"
So, each Coptic Christian player prays so that he can win the match. It is his job, and he must win in order to keep his job.
If both Christian players pray to win, who will God listen to? Who does God decide on who should have that free penalty kick?
Is it unchristian for you to want to win and not your fellow Christian who could equally lose his job if he loses?
Let's say both teams trained the same and worked hard the same. How does all this work out theologically.
I don't know why I think so much. Anyway, Its just a question.
However, concerning the Egypt Vs Algeria Match: Let's look at the following news clip and discuss this: I'm REALLY interested:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8361019.stm
The spectator says that it was "God's will" that they won the match 2-0 against Algeria in Cairo.
So then, was it God's will that they lost it Khartoum against the same side?
Surely, if it had anything to do with God, then Algeria would have won in Cairo rather than wasting all the Egyptian's money and hopes to travel to Sudan just to be beaten??
But the Egyptians who said it was "God's Will" that they had won in Cairo - are they still saying it was "God's Will" that they lost in Sudan?
Should they have really brought religion into this? Both sides are muslim? Surely, it is hurtful to say "It was God's will" that we won when it is like saying "It was God's will that you lost" to your muslim opponents?
I just wanted to say that there is SOME justice in this:
The Egyptian supporters attacked the Algerian players in Cairo.
Egypt then wins 2-0 against Algeria.
Both teams have to meet up again in Khartoum/Sudan for the playoffs.
Algeria beats Egypt 1.0 in Khartoum
What happened here is God's justice, because not only did Algeria win; but the Egyptians ended up travelling to Sudan and spending money for nothing watching their team being dropped again from the World Cup.
Had Algeria beat Egypt in Cairo, then the Egyptian supporters would not have been punished. But because they lost, the Egyptian supporters HAD to go to Sudan, Spend money on hotels, spend money on transport, take time off work, only to see themselves lose. So, God allowed them to not only lose the game, but also their money also for being stupid enough to attack innocent algerian footballers.
Have I over analysed this, or would u agree that this is God's justice?
In Christ
Theophilus
This is no different than praying for many other different things. When you're praying to get into medical school for example, aren't you by necessity praying that you get in and someone else doesn't? When you pray to get a promotion, don't you think there are others out there trying to get that very same promotion and may be praying just as hard? When you are make an offer on a house and you pray that the owners accept it, couldn't there be others who have made offers as well that have prayed to get the house too? Prayers conflict all the time. God knows what's best for us and all things work for good to those who love God. Therefore, like others have said, to humbly accept the results of everything regardless of whether your prayer was answered in the way you like is what is most important.
That's a beautiful answer aiernovi.
I agree.
So, when you pray before a match, you should only pray for God's will?
i agree with theophilus1.
although you could also pray for the Christians in the area to use the opportunity to talk about their faith and you could ask God to give you opportunities to discuss these issues with your friends who are not Christian, eg, we won/lost the match (delete as appropriate, all algerian readers welcome ;) to this page!) but the most important fight is the fight between good and evil in our lives... then you can say how God, by His spirit helps you in this.