Do You Believe in Miracles?

Leif Holmes

“I can’t promise you that we’ll be the best team at Lake Placid next February, but we will be the best conditioned team. That I can promise you.” – Coach Herb Brooks (1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team)

I enjoy all kinds of movies. But I really enjoy movies that are based on true stories, and especially those based on true sports stories. The movie, “Miracle” is one of those movies. The 2004 movie chronicles the incredible story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team. I recently watched the movie again, and there were several notable lines that stood out to me but none more so than the one above. The coach, Herb Brooks, says this line at the start of the team’s training in relation to what it will take to beat the Soviets who were the perennial powerhouse hockey team at the time. The Soviets had won four consecutive gold medals dating back to the 1964 Olympic games, and had gone 27–1–1 and outscored their opponents 175–44 during that 16-year span. They were a formidable opponent to say the least.

In order to have even a chance to beat the Soviets, Coach Brooks introduced an entirely different style of play and strategy for the American team. Brooks knew that one of the keys to the Soviets’ domination over the years was that no other hockey team was as well conditioned as they were. By the time the third and final period started, the Soviets were still at full strength whereas other teams were physically and psychologically exhausted. Brooks made sure that if nothing else, the Americans would be able to skate with the Soviets throughout the entire three periods of play – and it worked! The Americans pulled off what is considered to be one of the greatest upsets in sports history, and by the way, produced one of the most famous calls in sports history –  Al Michaels’ unforgettable “Do you believe in miracles!” as the game clock counted down to zero, followed by an emphatic – “YES!”

So where am I going with this? Well, besides this being a great story (and a movie I would recommend if you haven’t seen it), it also resonates with me on a spiritual level. You see, like many of you, I regularly pray for all kinds of “miracles.” But these aren’t sports miracles. These are things like healing for broken relationships and hopeless marriages or healing for people I know who have debilitating or terminal diseases and of course, the salvation of those in my Oikos and beyond who do not know the love of Jesus. in Hebrews 11:6 God promises that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him. I would suggest that the key words in this verse are EARNESTLY SEEK. The Greek word translated there is ekzetousin, which means to “search out, investigate, crave, demand, worship.” Interestingly though, it can also mean “to require or hold responsible,” (as in Luke 11:50-51).  So it could be translated that God is the rewarder of those who require or hold Him (God) responsible.” WOW! For me, that puts this verse in a whole new light. God wants us to hold him responsible to His Word and to His promises because it brings honor and glory to His name when we do! It reminds me of the quote above from Herb Brooks with regard to being the best conditioned hockey team in the Olympics - except this is how I would say it:  

“I can’t promise that I will see every one of my prayers answered, but I will never stop earnestly seeking Him. That I can promise you.”

Do YOU believe in miracles?