WEEK 7- Honor to the Lord

MONDAY — Read the passage with your team.

 1 May the Lord answer you when you are in distress;
       may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

 2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
       and grant you support from Zion.

 3 May he remember all your sacrifices
       and accept your burnt offerings.

 4 May he give you the desire of your heart
       and make all your plans succeed.

 5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
       and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
       May the Lord grant all your requests.

 6 Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed;
       he answers him from his holy heaven
       with the saving power of his right hand.

 7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
       but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

 8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
       but we rise up and stand firm.

 9 O Lord, save the king!
       Answer us when we call!

Psalm 20

What does this passage have to say about humility?

Why is that important?

TUESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

1) What are an athlete’s “sacrifices” and “burnt offerings” (v. 3)?  Do you do these things because you have to, or as worship to God?  When God looks upon what you offer to Him, He sees not only your actions, but the attitudes of your heart.  What does He see when he considers your “sacrifices and burnt offerings”?

WEDNESDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

2) As you compete as an athlete, what is the “desire of your heart” (v. 4)?  Is it to win, or to achieve some personal goal, or to honor God?  Is it OK for the desire of your heart to be victory?

3) Imagine that the game is over; you’ve had the best game of your career, and everyone is congratulating you.  How could you “lift up your banners in the name of God” (v. 5), rather than draw attention to yourself?  How can you and your teammates keep each other humble in the midst of victory?

THURSDAY — Discuss the passage with your team.

4) The attitude of a humble athlete is described in verse 7:  “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God” (v. 7).  In what “chariots and horses” are you, as an athlete, sometimes tempted to trust?  (Is it your own hard work?  A great coach?  Natural skill?  Intimidating your opponent?)  Why is an attitude of humility, as described in verse 7, so important for success — not only in sports, but in all of life?

FRIDAY — Discuss sport applications of humility, and pray together.

· Ask your athletes to briefly reflect on what they’ve learned about humility this week, and to repeat some of those things.  (Remind them of some of the Biblical truths about humility you’ve discussed, if necessary.)

· Ask your team, “Based on what we learned about humility this week...What does a humble athlete do?”  Do not settle for vague answers; challenge your athletes to go beyond general qualities of a humble athlete, and to determine what those qualities look like in action.

· Add the results to your team’s list of descriptions of the “humble athlete”, and be sure the list is displayed somewhere that is constantly visible, as a reminder to the team.

· Pray together as a team.  Encourage your athletes to pray for your team’s growth in regard to the discipline of humility — especially in relation to some of the issues and challenges that you discussed together this week.  Challenge them to also ask for forgiveness, when applicable.  Give time for athletes to request prayer (regarding humility or anything else), and pray together.

 

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