Kurt Warner Gives Glory Where Glory is Due

I admit, I'm typically not a sports fan ... not until its a "big game" and there is an underdog playing. I always root for the underdog. And the Arizona Cardinals have been the underdog for 60+ years. So naturally, as a new Arizona resident I (we) watched yesterday's NFC Championship game.

By now ya'll know that Arizona won the game and is headed to the Super Bowl for the first time since their inception in 1898 (yes, that's right ... they are the oldest football franchise out there).

If you follow football, you probably know that the quarterback, Kurt Warner, is a Christian and is not shy about making public statements about his faith.

In case you missed this little statement Kurt Warner made after the game, here it is:

"… everybody is gonna get tired of hearing this, but I never get tired of saying
it: there is one reason that I'm standing up on stage today. That's because of
my Lord up above. I gotta say thanks to Jesus …"

Since I don't know much about Kurt Warner, I was surprised - and thrilled - to hear this statement. Jonathan was around the corner with the baby and I called out to him, "Did you hear what he just SAID!??!" It brought tears to my eyes!

In looking for this video online, I came across some people who say they are tired of hearing Kurt Warner constantly praising Jesus. Some criticize Kurt Warner for not acknowledging his own talent that brings him these achievements.

But, if you are a Christian yourself, you understand exactly where Kurt Warner stands: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - Philippians 4:13 (which, by coincidence -or not - is actually a verse the pastor at discussed at church today!)

The Lord has given Kurt Warner talent and a voice that reaches millions of people on a day like today ... and should the Cardinals win on Super Bowl Sunday, millions more around the world will hear his profession that he is a follower of Christ. God knows what He's doing ... and He uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary: He uses a football player to help spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I came across a blogger who also commented about Kurt's statement yesterday. He wrote

... you can’t always tell a true Christian when they

give God thanks for their success, but you can always

tell a true Christian when they give Jesus thanks for their success.

http://workingclay.blogspot.com/2009/01/kurt-warner-thanks-jesus.html

Kurt Warner and the Cardinals won the Luceros as fans last night! What a game ... and what a guy ... and what a God we have!

Onto Super Bowl Sunday ... go get 'em, Cardinals!