Habit of Hope: Praying for the MarketplaceSample

Pray for Arts, Entertainment, Sports 

When we were children, we were all artists, dancers, and pretenders confident in our creativity and athletic prowess. But around fourth grade something happens, says Tom Kelley, who studies this topic. Is it fear of failure or the dread of judgment, or maybe both, that cause the vast amount of people to stop acting on their creative ideas with courage after ten years old? Regardless, it is really disheartening considering our being made in the image of God who is the Creator. 

Creating was His work when we first met Him in the biblical narrative. He was busy bringing order to chaos, speaking things into existence, arranging and rearranging elements to make new things, and we bear His image. There are people in our midst who continue to embrace this creative reflection of God. They tell stories that inspire and convict. They sing songs. They bring young and old together to run lines on a stage or run plays on a court. They paint pictures and write music. 

Zechariah 8 paints a beautiful picture of God’s promised blessing of Jerusalem in the future. The prophecy is punctuated by verse 5, “The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” But the Bible also talks about the necessity of these creatives in the present world. Exodus 35 shares a glimpse into the lives of two of them. Bezalel and Oholiab were called, equipped and filled with the Spirit of God to create and teach others to be creative. In essence, artists play, and they show us the importance of play in the unfolding Kingdom of God.

Theaters, entertainment venues and sporting events were some of the first to be determined “non-essential” in our current situation. But as the church we must lift these stewards of inventiveness up before God. You can also find your favorite artist on Venmo or PayPal and drop something into their virtual tip jar.

Prayer

God, we pray that you will reveal yourself through all that is created, that people find community in shared interests and activities, and that we may adapt to this unique time where we must enjoy these things apart from one another. We ask that you sustain these treasured people as they seek new ways to use the gifts you’ve given them for the good of the world. In Jesus' name. Amen.