Whose Side Are You On?

It's the biggest day of the year for U.S. football fans - the day of the "so-called Super Bowl" (as our Pastor called it during a sermon this weekend).

You may be rooting for one particular team.  But a new survey raises a provocative question: does God root for a team?  The survey found 27 percent of U.S. residents believing so -- to the point that they think God plays a role in determining which side wins.

This question can be extended to the poker table.  Does God care who wins your weekly tournament?  The World Series of Poker Main Event?  Even a televised contest, where a winner's profession of faith might be heard by large numbers of people?

We could turn to Bible verses on both sides of this issue.  Some indicate a good "work ethic" and training (which you'd think God would bless) doesn't always pay off in victory:

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. - Ecclesiastes 9:11

"Bad timing," one online player wrote when we escaped an all-in moment against him the other day.  We've had moments of good timing, too -- such as A-A being dealt to us at a decisive Big Blind.  But we're honest enough to admit that doesn't always happen.

Here's another verse we've heard ministers quote often, which relates to this topic:

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.... - Acts 10:34 (KJV)

So He doesn't care who wins the football game or poker tournament -- right?

Well, hold on.  The problem with that thinking is that many ministers stop quoting the Scripture there.  Keep reading....

But in every nation he that fears him, and works righteousness, is accepted with him. - Acts 10:35 (KJV)

Do you understand what Peter's saying?  If you fear God and live a righteous life, God will accept you -- no matter what your background, skin color or national origin.  And the Bible shows that "fear" has a payoff:

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. - Hebrews 11:6

Faithfully seeking God will be rewarded -- and that can take many forms.  In this life, it could be an unlikely victory in a poker room.  But the ultimate reward from God is far more important....

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. - Matthew 16:27

We've leave it to God to reveal someday if He intervened and took sides in a Super Bowl or a WSOP tournament.  What matters more is that we're on God's side - to receive blessings from Him, both now and in eternity.