I have spent the last few weeks explaining to around twenty radio stations from around the world why I didn’t write a prayer for England to win the World Cup. God is not partisan, I explained, and there are bigger things to pray for – especially as prayer is about (a) expressing our desires honestly (even if they are dodgy), and (b) having our own vision of God, the world and us changed by our praying.
Anyway, I suggested, it might take too much of a miracle for England to win the World Cup: we constantly over-rate, over-hype and over-anticipate England performances… and then indulge in a collective intemperate bloodletting against team and manager when they (consistently) fail to deliver on the big stage. At least we are fairly consistent in behaving like this in every competition. (On BBC’s Newsnight programme Gavin Esler said they had intended to show highlights of the game, but there weren’t any…)
But, after watching England’s remarkably aimless and seemingly dispassionate performance against Algeria last night, I now feel moved to pen two new prayers specifically for the England team. (I will be praying from a distance as I will be in Canada for the G8 Faith Leaders Summit – I am NOT leaving the country because I can’t bear to watch the Slovenia match next week…)
The first is simple and honest:
Oh God…
The second offers a little more:
God, who played the cosmos into being, please help England rediscover their legs, their eyes and their hunger: that they might run more clearly, pass more nearly and enjoy the game more dearly. Amen.
Well, don’t say I didn’t try.
June 19, 2010 at 11:07 am
Hi Bishop Nick,
I think I agree with with your comments about over hype. I rarely take any notice although the world seems to stop sometimes, just for World Cup. I thinks Lets Get Real – it is only a Game. It would be nice if all bombs and Guns used in War could be replaced with Sport Equipment and instead of Armies killing each other, you have Sports teams trying to score a Goal or a run or similar although this would be a unlikely occurrence.
I will soon have One More Step Along The World I go, with Photographs of the Makaton Signs for, started because Heath Mount Junior School in Hertfordshire made Gestures for Verse 4 Only on Songs of Praise 2 or three years ago. I then added the signs I knew, and before I knew it had a Whole Song with Makaton Sign. The Next Song Produce Signing Pictures I do will be a couple of Verses at a time.
Many Thanks,
Anthony Tull
June 19, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Another post….another smile from me….thanks.
June 19, 2010 at 3:24 pm
I especially like the first one – I think it has been widely prayed already by most England fans! 😉
June 19, 2010 at 4:50 pm
You’ve tried… we’ll try… lets hope they try! Fortunately those of the oval ball fraternity seem to be doing a little better.
June 20, 2010 at 4:58 am
*chuckle!*
June 20, 2010 at 11:21 am
Right on the nail. Many thanks. I used both prayers to introduce my sermon this morning about how God cured Elijah’s depression.
From another (fairly depressed) Liverpool fan!
June 21, 2010 at 2:31 pm
[…] still be away for England’s decider against Slovenia, so will just have to keep praying my latest prayers from […]
June 21, 2010 at 8:55 pm
“God, who played the cosmos into being…”
The Cosmos? Look, I respect Pele but that’s going too far.
June 22, 2010 at 9:54 am
if Jesus were to return to earth he’d be first in line blasting out his GOLD vuvuzela
http://www.blingzela.co.za/
isn’t there something in the Bible about a tower being rocked by trumpets – perhaps we vuvuzelans are following God’s Word!
June 22, 2010 at 10:20 am
“God Bless Slovenia!” (W. J. Clinton’s prayer at his first visit to Slovenia) 😉
June 22, 2010 at 12:22 pm
[…] CBC about the World Cup. I gather the press in the UK and elsewhere have picked up on my latest World Cup prayers – some even recognising humour where they spot it. One Slovenian website has picked it up and […]
June 23, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Saw this today on facebook….
Our Fabio, who art in Africa,
Hallowed be thy name. They will be done, ’til the World Cup’s won, On the Pitch as it is in training. Give us this day a solid defence, and allow us an attack, so we score more then those who attack against us. For thine is the managerialship, the team, and the glory, forever and ever (or at least until the end of the competition).
June 24, 2010 at 3:41 am
[…] London. And England have got through to the last 16 of the World Cup. (I simply draw attention to my prayers and make no further […]
July 7, 2010 at 10:50 pm
[…] – in relation to World Cup prayers – Ruth Gledhill described me in the Times as ‘one of the favourites to succeed Dr Rowan […]
July 8, 2010 at 7:06 am
[…] – in relation to World Cup prayers – Ruth Gledhill described me in the Times as ‘one of the favourites to succeed Dr Rowan […]
June 22, 2013 at 5:07 pm
The current England Squad will need a lot more than prayers to get them through. Leeds United have a better chance of gaining promotion to the Premier League than England having any success on the pitch.