Praying for Baseball

A few weeks ago I was asked to pray for a local basebal game. Immediately I though of a dirt-track stock car race I went to in Mississippi which started with a prayer in the thickest drawl, “Lord, we thank you for this sport that we love so much…” How was I going to pray for a baseball game? Was I going to sound like this guy?

It’s a uniquely Southern thing to bring the “preacher” in to pray for a public event. This is an example of Christ of Culture. Sometimes Southerners confuse their culture with their Christ in such a way that they are almost superstitious about it- like something bad will happen at the stock-car race or baseball game if someone doesn’t pray first.

Now I don’t want to come across as too much of a snob- I was happy to pray for the game and the attenders, but I wanted to do it in a way that would glorify God. I wanted to use this cultural phenomenon (praying before public events) to promote Christ and all that he is. I was preforming an act of Christ Above Culture.

If you are interested (or stumped for a prayer for your local baseball game) here’s what I said. I wanted something to draw attention to who God was, but also ask Him for relevant requests:

Gracious Father,
We thank you for bringing us together with our friends and family tonight to enjoy this game because we know that all good gifts come from you.

We know that you are just and fair in all that you do, so we ask you will help us have good sportsmanship in this game.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.