Driving into the office this morning, I was skimming through the stations and heard some of the morning DJs talking about a survey that found 3 in 10 adults believe that God determines who wins sporting events.  I thought to myself, “Really? 30% of adults believe that God directly determines who will win the Super Bowl or the World Series?”

When I got to the office I pulled up the research that was compiled by the Public Religion Research Institute.  Sure enough, 27% of Americans surveyed believed that God plays a role in determining which team wins a sporting event. This can’t be true since the Cowboys were not in the Super Bowl.  As former Cowboys linebacker D.D. Lewis said, “Texas Stadium has a hole in its roof so God can watch His favorite team play.”  All joking aside, God has better things to do than determine the outcome of sporting events.

It’s an interesting question, and the responses detailed in the survey are just as interesting.  As I was taking a look at this topic, I stumbled across an image of the latest Sports Illustrated that asked, “Does God care who wins the Super Bowl?” on the front cover.  The topic has been abuzz on talk shows, newspapers and online forums.

Washington Post writer Tracee Hamilton said , “There was a time when it was considered poor form to discuss religion, money and politics in social settings, in the workplace, at parties. That was then. This is now. We live in a world where no topic is off limits and every private thought or feeling is considered fair game to the media and to the world at large.”  For the most part she is correct. That change in society has of course been fueled by all forms of social media – Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

A survey about Americans and the belief that 27% of us believe that God determines the winner of sporting events – from the NFL to the professional table tennis league – will quickly fade in today’s fast-paced news cycle.  The takeaway should be that more than ever, people are willing to have a conversation about God and His work in our lives.  The majority of people are interested in conversation about the God we know and how he truly works in our lives today.

Click image to download week 6 devo.

I don’t believe God delves into a sport where a bunch of millionaires chase around a $20 football for a few hours.  I do believe that God wants to be an active part of our lives.  This is a lesson we can learn in the life of Abraham and Sarah.  They were directly called by God to leave the land that they knew and to follow God to a new destination.  So far in our weekly studies, we have seen how God has provided for them even though they were not perfect.  This week we look at Genesis 14.  Abraham’s nephew Lot is taken prisoner as part of a war that is being fought among many kings in the region in which he lived.

Spend time this week studying the Bible with your family, and thinking about how God works in your lives.  Download this week’s family devo>>> Week 6 – Faith of Abraham Part 3