Riders lost the Grey Cup

Image via Wikipedia

This morning I finally read the newspaper from November 30, 2009--the day after the Saskatchewan Roughriders lost the Grey Cup because of having too many men on the field. In the last few seconds of that football game against the Montreal Alouettes, the Alouettes missed a 43 yard field goal attempt which meant that the Riders had won the game by 2 points. But wait, there's a penalty. The Riders had 13 players on the field (should only have 12) so the Alouettes could try the field goal again (from 10 yards closer to the end zone). This time they made it and won the Grey Cup by one point.

My husband and I were there in the stands watching the game. We fled one second after the field goal was made by Montreal. I think I have been fleeing the pain of this loss ever since.

Recently I realized that one reason for the pain I felt was that I was never prayed up before I attended the game. What I mean by "prayed up" is that I talked with God about the game and left the final outcome completely in His hands. I didn't do this.

In the past, when I have been prayed up about situations, I have had so much peace and been able to entrust the final result to God's care. So when I realized that I had never done this for the Grey Cup, I wondered whether I could retroactively entrust the game to God.

This morning I woke up early and knew that this was the day for me to read that newspaper. I decided to have my Quiet Time first to hear from God. Here's what God said,

People make their plans, but the final outcome is in My hands.

I did not pray it through and leave the final outcome in God's hands but, guess what, the final outcome was always in His hands. And I was in His hands too because He's got the whole world in His hands.

It reminds me of an image that God gave me years ago. I could see myself walking along a road carrying a heavy burden on my back. God came driving by in His wagon (one of those wooden ones with a bench seat and a horse pulling it). God invited me to ride in His wagon and I jumped in and sat on the bench beside Him. The horse pulled us along. After a while God asked, "Why are you still carrying that burden on your back? You can put it down because the wagon is carrying your burden and you already. You don't have to keep it on your back."

This morning I gave the outcome of the Grey Cup game over to God. As I finally read that newspaper, the pain and hurt was gone. I accept God's plan because God is good--ALL THE TIME!

Next time, I will (with God's help and grace) get prayed up in advance and leave the final outcome in God's hands. Picture in picture--I switched to God's picture today.