Does God Really Care Who Wins the Stanley Cup

We hear it all the time—athletes thanking God for helping them win or make the big shot. Really? Is God really interested in the outcome of tonight's game? Is God manipulating the play on the field or court to help direct the outcome? Does God really care who wins the NBA Finals, Superbowl, or World Cup?

And what about atheletes' using their fame to evangelize? One the one hand you've God Tim Tebow, who wears his faith on his sleeve. But then consider Ray Allen, hero of Game 6 of the NBA Finals, who once said in an interview: "God could care less whether I can shoot a jump shot." What's up with the quirky relationship between faith and sport? A little more seriously, it does raise some interesting questions about how God is active and present, not only in the big game, but also in our daily lives. How much or little is God involved? What's the balance between free-will and God's will? Who gets the credit when things go right and who gets the blame when they go wrong? This conversation sports fans and non-fans alike. So, let's have some fun with this.