December 29, 2012

I’ve had football dreams two mornings in a row (that is American football for you who read from afar). Before I share the dreams, I have to issue a disclaimer: Though I am not a rabid football fan, I do follow the Green Bay Packers. I am definitely not a cheese-head. I would not put one of those wedge-shaped yellow bits of molded plastic on my head. However, I grew up in Wisconsin. I did attend a handful of Packer games over the years (OK, I was at Lambeau field on Bart Starr Day in 1970—almost a religious experience). I still follow the team, though I am not the most faithful of fans. I rarely watch a game that isn’t prerecorded, but I do follow their standings, and I am pleased when they do well. This will help frame the dreams in context.

On to the first dream: It was about tomorrow’s game between the Green Bay Packers and their division rival, the Minnesota Vikings. In the dream, I was watching the end of the game. I saw that Green Bay was ahead, but that Minnesota was setting up for a game-winning forty-nine yard field goal. Then I saw that the Minnesota kicker missed the field goal attempt, and that Green Bay won the game (I can hear all the Green Bay Packer fans who are reading this cheering the thought—I can see all the Minnesota fans sneering rather than cheering).

Since I do not normally have football dreams, let’s assume for a minute that the dream is from the Lord. If it is from the Lord, I believe it is about justice. As we move into 2013, the Lord is releasing justice into this world on a very high level.

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. (Psalm 89:14 NIV)

Psalm 115:16 reminds us that the Lord has given the earth to us:

The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
        but the earth he has given to man.

That means that we need to pray God’s justice into the earth when we see injustice. There are many types of injustice. Some types are exponentially more grievous than other types. But injustice is injustice, and the Lord is about justice.

When the Green Bay Packers played the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night, September 24th, NFL fans witnessed injustice. The temporary officials blew the final call of the game so badly that the National Football League issued an unprecedented statement acknowledging that the Packers had really won that game, even though the temporary referees had given the game to the Seahawks. The NFL admitted that injustice had been done, but the league could not overturn the officials in post-game review.

So here we are, months later, and that call is haunting the Packers. They have already qualified for the playoffs, but instead of enjoying the first round bye (a game off at the beginning of the playoffs) as second seed, they must win tomorrow against the Vikings or that coveted week of rest goes to the San Francisco Forty-Niners. If the temporary officials had called the Seattle game correctly, Green Bay would have the week of rest locked up already. If they lose tomorrow, they will lose that week of rest because of the unjust ending of the game on September 24th. This would be an injustice.

But I, as an intercessor on the earth, have prayed that the September 24th injustice would not negatively impact the Green Bay Packers’ season (That might be an indication that I am more of a fan than I am willing to admit—Bart Starr day had an impact). I haven’t spent a lot of time praying about this, but I have prayed for justice several times when the topic of that game has come up. I don’t like to see this type of injustice anywhere, especially on Wisconsin’s frozen tundra. Is it beyond the bounds of reason to assume that the Lord would give me a dream to let me know my prayers have been answered?

Let’s look at the dream: How long was the field goal attempt? Forty-nine yards. If the Packers lose to Minnesota, the Forty-Niners get the week of rest instead of the Packers. But in the dream, the kicker misses that forty-nine yard field goal. The Packers win the game. The injustice is corrected as the Packers take second seed and get the next week off. In this small way, justice is released on the earth in answer to the prayers of an intercessor.

Of course, this post is about far more than football. It is about our authority. If God cares to release justice in answer to our prayers about relatively trivial things (or at least to speak about it in a dream), then what about the really important things? Let’s make 2013 a year of justice and righteousness. It is the foundation of God’s throne.*
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*What about the second football dream? Let’s just say I’m hoping it was from the Lord (as I am hoping the first dream was). If it was, I am really looking forward to the Super Bowl this year. If the Packers get there, I will tell you about it.
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Update December 31, 2012
The Packers lost to the Vikings by a field goal in the last seconds of the game. San Francisco takes second seed. But wait! The Packers and the Vikings now have to face each again other in the playoffs on Saturday. How weird is that? Hoping for justice with a better result than yesterday.

Update January 6, 2013
The Packers were in no mood to trifle with the Vikings, and defeated them soundly at Lambeau field on Saturday (24-10). They now play San Francisco at San Francisco next week. Hoping for justice, since the playing field is still stacked against them because of the injustice in the regular season (no week off, no home field advantage).
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