Legendary Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne discussed how prayer plays a role in his life in his book Coaching Matters. “We had chapel the morning of each game. We had a silent prayer in the locker room before and after each game, and we had a short devotional period for our coaches and staff each morning before we started preparing for the day.” 

Osborne also described how each day influenced his life. “A daily time in the scriptures, in prayer and meditation, can be very helpful. When I was coaching, I woke up at 5 am each day and spent about 45 minutes praying and meditating. We started our coaches’ meetings at 7 am with a short devotional for our coaches, trainers, and strength staff—ten minutes during which we read a scripture verse, discussed its meaning for our players and us, and closed with a prayer. I usually end my day with time in the scriptures. I attended a weekly Bible study on Friday mornings after our game preparation was finished. Our family went to church together on Sundays. I also encouraged our players to attend church as well.”

Colossians 1 – Pray Specifically

While learning about how vital prayer was in my former coach’s life, I was most impressed that he prayed for each player and coach by name every week. Colossae was a small town, and the Apostle Paul didn’t personally know all the Colossians. However, that didn’t stop him from praying specifically for them. He could pray for their needs (Col. 1:3).

The Kingdom Coach and Athlete faithfully pray for their teammates’ specific needs. Whether it’s praying for conflict resolution, anxieties, needs, or other problems, they pray continuously for them.

Bible Memory Verse – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (LSB)

Click HERE for the Kingdom Sports Minute: Praying for Your Team

Our featured book this week is Ecclesiastes – The Forward-Looking Athlete. (A  10-Week Bible Study For Athletes Who Want To Compete With The End In Mind), written by Joshua Thiessen.

 Click HERE to review.

To see our full catalog of over 200 Bible Study Guides and Devotions, click HERE