What’s in Your Blank?
When Indy’s Joseph Addai scored the winning touchdown with one minute left in last night’s NFC title game, Colt’s quarterback Peyton Manning fretted that too much time was left on the clock for New England’s Tom Brady to once again work his magic.
Manning then returned to the bench, bowed his head, and prayed.
With 16 seconds left and the Patriots threatening, Indy cornerback Marlin Jackson intercepted a Brady pass at the Colts’ 35 yard line. Game over. Prayer answered.
Or was it?
After the game, Manning opined on the intersection of sport and faith:
“I don’t know if you’re supposed to pray for things like that.”
I know how you feel, Peyton. Several times a day, I pause to pray about something and think, I don’t know if you’re supposed to pray about _______. Sometimes, I proceed and pray, sometimes I don’t.
So, what’s in your blank?
As for Peyton, I’m glad that big goofy, lovable football nerd is finally getting his chance. Go Colts.
20 Comments
Comments are closed.
Terri
I sure do love his commercials!
I pray about everything now… when I started praying for a lost dog years ago, I realized that God wants to hear it all! He may laugh some – but I think he’d like to hear us say whatever it is.
Mike the Eyeguy
If I lost Amazing Gracie the Wonderdog, I would pray too. Hard.
Mark elrod
Victory in wars (sorry, Mike… I had to say it).
Mike the Eyeguy
It’s okay, Mark. We’ve come to expect that from you. 😉
GREG
A Chicago win?
Stoogelover
Maybe I need to pray for my incorrigible dog! As I walk further into this life, I find myself slowly becoming less analytical about prayer and just throwing it all up to God. Let him sort it out. I don’t think he really cares much about football. If he did, Bama would have had a better season! But he does care about us!
Mike the Eyeguy
Oh Greg, Greg, Greg, you know all about my reputation for serving up the prognosis with the mostest agnosis. You’re baiting me.
Okay, I’ll bite. Chicago has a great defense and a so-so QB. The Colts have a great QB and a so-so defense. That makes it even. Which brings us to the kickers. I know nothing about Chicago’s. I don’t have to, because the Colts have Vinatieri (from South Dakota State–let’s hear it for podunk schools!) who splits uprights like Paul Bunyan split trees.
And if that weren’t enough, my prayer for a Colt victory will give them that added edge.
How could anyone not like Manning? Oh that’s right, I bet you have the answer to that one.
Mike the Eyeguy
Patience Stoogelover. Bama has gone through its own Dark Night of the Soul, but thar’s hope at the end of that thar tonnel! There is.
I could probably use a little less left brain interference when it comes to prayer.
Hooteewho
During the last minute, we saw Peyton with his head bowed, my husband said, “He is praying.”
I was glad he won, although we lost $220 on the football pool at work…it is okay. Dungee is a class act as is the Colts organization. I really like Lovie too.
Go Colts!
Mike the Eyeguy
Hoots, there’s a very likable cast of characters on both teams. It will in many ways be a battle of “the nice guys.” If Da Bears win, I wouldn’t be too sad. I like the Manning family, and with the Saints having marched home, it would still be a boon for NOLA if a Manning does good.
BTW, that quote from Peyton came from–of all places–The New York Times. Of course, their take might have been, “Well, how curious–and quaint.”
Hal
I saw that too, and I wondered if he was praying.
I don’t think that God wishes for us to hold any prayer requests back. He knows our thoughts anyway, and we are supposed to pray without ceasing.
I wonder more about other peoples’ prayer requests. We have a friend that will ask us to pray for her because she is trying to lose 3 pounds. Come on. I’ll be happy to pray for someone to lose 30 pounds, but 3? So, where is my cut-off? When is it alright for someone else to ask me to pray for them and when is it ridiculous? I don’t know; it’s too hard to define “ridiculous.”
Sometimes someone at church will ask for prayers because they are scheduled to have cataract surgery. I’ve often wanted to ask them “who is doing your surgery.” Then I will know how fervently I need to pray.
Go Colts!
Mike the Eyeguy
I know what you mean about the “3 lbs” kind of requests. I suspect that for many they are often just a way of seeking attention and/or affirmation. And that may be all the affirmation they can get, so maybe it’s a good idea to just smile and say “okay.”
“Sometimes someone at church will ask for prayers because they are scheduled to have cataract surgery. I’ve often wanted to ask them ‘who is doing your surgery.’ Then I will know how fervently I need to pray.”
Heh, I hear you. And sometimes I even have to do an intervention right there on the spot!
lAURA
He tells us to pray without ceasing. Just think how trivial all of our prayers could be to someone who made the world. If we do it in private I think we can pray for anything. How will we know if he will answer if we do not ask. That is my take on it.
Oh Yea! Go colts. Mike, we are watching TN lady vols play duke. GO TN! The best is watching Coach Pearl in the stands with his chest painted orange and he is the V. Does that remind you of number one Son this past fall.
Sorry, I am a Titans fan first then Colts. So finally someone I really want to win is playing the Superbowl. Maybe this will get Peyton’s confidence back, he does choke in the big games and I think it is mental.
Mike the Eyeguy
“If we do it in private I think we can pray for anything.”
Maybe “closet prayers” are the place for those “unmentionable” things which might be a burden for others to hear (or pray for) in a public setting.
74-70 Duke. Good game. Coach Pearl is nuts–in a good way.
lAURA
Yea You won. It was a good game. Been better if we had of won. That makes your girls 20 and 0 is that right? Pearl is nuts. That was hillarious.
Mike the Eyeguy
The Lady Blue Devils seem to have no problem winning big games during the regular season. Now they just need to do like Tennessee and come up with the intestinal fortitude to close things out in the Final Four.
I could have gone my whole life without seeing a bare-chested Bruce Pearl (click here).
Donna
I love it when I agree with you….I like Peyton too, glad the Colts won…and yes Bama would do much better if God answered all sports prayers….but, who knows maybe we needed this walk through the valley…
My blank right now is success or money, God has always provided and I am not sure he wants me to pray for more than “daily bread”. I just sometimes forget and think he needs me to be successful to take care of things…like my family,when I should have faith that he will do that for me….
Mike the Eyeguy
An occasional “walk through the valley” is a humbling experience. And everyone (including Bama) can benefit from a little humility now and then.
I think “daily bread” is the gold standard. Anything else is gravy. But I guess that you could make the case that what constitutes “daily bread” has changed somewhat from that ancient Near East meaning.
Keith
We can trivialize (word?) any topic if we thought it wasn’t valid enough to get through the clouds but technically this was Peyton’s prayer that his business and his associates continue in their success. I thank God for my job all the time and maybe Peyton was doing the same…with maybe a few specifics thrown in such as something more than a moral victory Lord! Even more impressive were the general manager and Dungy both giving credit to God for their success when presented the AFC trophy. Colts-my new favorite organization.
Mike the Eyeguy
I wondered if Payton’s prayer might have been more along the line of a Psalmist’s lament:
“How long, O Lord?”