thank and you will receive

My instinct has always been to pray. I badly wanted our team (Ateneo Blue Eagles) to win. Watching the game from upper box seats in Araneta Coliseum made the desire even more intense. But what are the chances that God would grant me my request? Certainly, there are also La Sallians praying for the Green Archers to win. What makes my request more weighty than theirs? So I found myself asking God what it would take to get his favor just for today.

First quarter of the game, I was nervous. There certainly is no guarantee that God is on our side. The heck, it's a basketball game! Why would God take sides right? But I was praying for our players that they would find the grace and strength and perseverance to go all out - to give their best. I just prayed for the best. I couldn't pray for us to win. At most I can pray for a winning performance. But in my heart I kept on telling God, "if there's anything I can do, just let me know!"

But when we reached the second half, God started speaking. He said, "Thank me. Why are you so nervous and doubtful? If you have faith, you will start thanking me." Then came a surge of faith. I realized that my fear is doing me no good! I have to start thanking God for the best that is to come. From pleading with God I started thanking and my it feels right! Thank you God for the victory... It was then that I realized that God was teaching me how to war again. In the face of intimidation, it is not helpful to beg! Begging puts you in a position of defeat!! If you are to win, you have to see yourself winning and when you do, the only response will be to start thanking God. I began to thank God. The more I did, the more I my mind found the grace to see victory and vise versa.

By the end of the 4th quarter, I already feel God's joy - kahit na nagtie!!!

For those of you who watched the game tonight, you know that Ateneo Blue Eagles won. (ONE BIG FIGHT!!!) But it was not our team's "victory" that convinces me that my prayers worked. I mean, whether my thanksgiving brought the team to win today's match or not, I believe they were nonetheless, the right prayers - prayers that see God as worthy of thanksgiving and prayers that somehow ministered blessing.

About an hour after the game has ended, I found myself thinking (and thinking...) of the game and how Blue Eagle team player Eric Salamat played a big role in the team's victory. "Go Salamat!" I thought... "What a name," I said to myself. Then right after that thought I suddenly realized, "Hey! Salamat means Thanks!" Right then and there I knew God was sealing in his message for me for the day: Give thanks. It's your weapon for war. Thanksgiving will bring you into victory. =)

Thanks tita tes for the early tickets... Til championships!

ONE BIG FIGHT!