Sunday afternoon I tuned in to catch the second half of the Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints football game.
I’m a fan of Drew Brees and expected to see a Saints victory and an all-pro performance by Brees. Instead, I saw a thrilling Vikings overtime win with embattled Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins throwing the game-winning touchdown
Cousins, who has faced massive media pressure after signing a three-year $84 million dollar contract with the Vikings in 2018 has been tagged with the narrative that “he can’t win the big game.”
Following the stunning upset victory in the Saints stadium, I watched Cousins’ interview with Fox Sports, Chris Meyers.
Meyers wasn’t shy about asking Cousins about the intense criticism he’s faced and the emotional burden he’s been bearing.
“I know you are deep in your own faith,” Myers said. “I know you try to handle it like a professional but you can’t block all the outside noise.”
Cousins calmly responded that regardless of what happens on the football field that his comfort is in God’s sovereignty.
Like many similar interviews, the star of the game said, “It’s about the team.” And that he accepted the weight of responsibility that comes with the quarterback job. But then added, “Like you said, my faith is important to me. It is the foundation of my life.”
“And ultimately, that is where I gain my peace and strength. Win or lose today, God is still on the throne. And I take comfort in that.”
Think about that. “Win or lose today, God is still on the throne.”
For those of us who at times have taken sports a bit too seriously, that’s a good reminder. The New Orleans Saints are not God’s team. Nor are the Dallas Cowboys. And shockingly to some neither are the Alabama Crimson Tide or the Kentucky Wildcats.
On a more serious note, Prosperity theology, sometimes called the “health and wealth gospel,” would have you believe that God’s children are always going to win. This pervasive and perverse doctrine says that if you are a faithful Christian God’s will for you is always financial success, good physical health, and personal safety and security.
While true Christians don’t buy into that theology, sometimes we seem perplexed and puzzled when we fail, lose and suffer hardship.
When adversity afflicts our personal well being, some question, “Where was God when I needed Him?”
When tragedy strikes and invades the peace and safety of our families, it’s tempting to blame and bemoan, “Why did God do this?”
When a deranged and demented gunman enters a church or school and kills innocent men, women, and children, quickly the challenge is issued, “Why would a loving God allow this to happen?
A quick perusal of the Psalms reminds us that God is before all things. Made all things. Knows all things. Transcends all things. Owns all things. Rules over all things. And is in control of all things. (Ps. 90:2; 19:1-4; 147:5; 8:1; 135:6; 24:1-2).
However, His sovereignty does not override man’s free moral nature. We have choices. We can decide to do good or evil. We can follow God’s will. Or reject it. And sometimes, even in matters of judgment that don’t involve right or wrong, we may make an incorrect decision that produces disastrous results.
Kirk Cousins could have thrown an interception that the Saints ran back for a touchdown. But God would still be on the throne.
The Bible records that the human race has made many serious and sinful choices. Cain killed Abel. Noah got drunk. Abraham lied. Jacob schemed. The patriarchs envied. David committed adultery. And Israel went lusting after idols and immoral relationships. But God was still on the throne.
Then God sent His Son into the world, but the religious leaders rejected Him. Judas betrayed. Peter denied. Pilate cowardly caved in. The disciples ran like scalded dogs. Christ was killed on the cross. But God was still on the throne.
Even after Jesus’ triumph over death and the devil, the powerful beginning and spread of Christianity, those victories were also tempered with some setbacks. The apostles were imprisoned. Stephen was stoned. James was beheaded. Christians were persecuted. And Paul suffered an agonizing “thorn in the flesh.” But God was still on the throne.
Know this. That in good times or bad. Sickness or health. Prosperity or poverty. Life or death. God is still on the throne.
“To the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 25).
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
ThePreachersWord 
Stay focused Ken! When death and disaster strike, God sends people to the rescue. Sometimes, death or extreme pain leading to death comes in spite of everyone’s best efforts. The Good News is. Death is not the end. The Dead do RISE. “For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins (1 Corinthians 15: 16-17).”
And Remember!
David’s “Song of Ascents. Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in His ways! For when you eat the fruit of your labor, blessings and prosperity will be yours.Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”(Psalm 128:1-3).
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Thank you brother Weliever for your post. I have enjoyed seeing how you often are able to take current events and relate them to bible teaching. It is so easy to get caught up in the idea that our personal circumstances in life are a reflection of our good or bad standing with God. This so called Prosperity Theology would lead us to believe that Jesus and Paul were failures and their example should be avoided at all cost!
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Mike. Why would Mary sing about the prosperity the poor would have with the coming of Jesus? And why would Jesus give up living a so so life as a single guy and take on the responsibility of a wife who wanted to raise a bunch of Dead people and give them the hope of prosperity and an abundant life if he and his Bride and their first reborn son didn’t have an abundant life? Yes some of Paul’s letters and adventures make it seem like they didn’t have a full abundant and prosperous life. Cephas, Paul and Apollo planted a huge and fertile garden. The size of the Church today suggests to me they the crucified and risen Christ prospered!
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Misses Turner I believe all Christians can and should live an abundant live, but our reward is not here on earth, but when this our life on earth is over. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice!” (Phil4:4, NKJV)
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It is Doctor Turner. No worries. I do rejoice in the Lord always. and I to say Again rejoice because the dead do rise (1 Corinthians 15:16) and when Jesus Christ returns so will they return. (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17). And remember the wonderful melody of the Psalmist 90:3-4). “You return man to dust, saying, “Return, O sons of mortals. For in Your sight a thousand years are but a day that passes, or a watch of the night.”
So I do rejoice in the Lord always because I know that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s promises. “And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled. ” (Luke 1:45). Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled. (Joshua 1:45). Those who are sleeping in death will awake. They will rise and leap for joy like the man crippled from birth begging for alms with his hope resting in the beautiful gate (Acts 3:2).
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Sorry if Misses does not fit for you, I mistakenly thought since you used three names one was a maiden name and one was a married name, i.e. your husband’s last name. I also was not aware that you are a Doctor; congratulation on the fruit of your hard work in becoming a doctor. I was more focused on brother Weliever’s point about the health and wealth doctrine that is so often promoted in our society today. I do believe Christians can be healthy and wealthy, but also poor and unhealthy, and as far as I know not any of these conditions is a true reflection of our faithfulness, nor our good or bad standing with God.
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