"Serious sport has nothing to do with fair play…it is war minus the shooting."
Psalm 44
Is God sleeping?Awake, Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression? Psalm 44:23
One of the frustrations of the modern world is when the internet goes down. Where I live it seems to have become more frequent recently, presumably with more people at home and online during lockdown. Sometimes we feel that our connection to God has gone down. That was the psalmist’s experience. Where was God when he needed Him?
I was very struck by the words of Pope Benedict XVI in his good-bye speech, commenting on Matthew 8:24 when Jesus was asleep in the boat and disciples were afraid. "I have felt like St Peter with the apostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us … and the Lord seemed to be sleeping”. Sport can produce so many stressful situations. In normal times you can be injured, not in the team, not performing to the level you know you can, worried about whether a sponsor will renew a contract, whether you will make the team. This year you have seen all your plans go up in smoke.
Perhaps you are praying earnestly but there is no answer; Jesus seems to be sleeping. It was very helpful of the Pope to acknowledge that these moments exist. St John of the cross called it “The dark night of the soul”.
The context of Matthew 8 suggests that Jesus was testing the faith of the disciples and then reminding them that he is in control. That can be a helpful lesson for us too. So if you are struggling at the moment and God seems to be sleeping, be encouraged. You are in good company! And be doubly encouraged because Jesus is not really asleep; he knows and cares.
Remember the promise in Psalm 121:4. “he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep”
Then there are the times when I am sleeping and Jesus is awake - but that is another story.