Psalm 126 and the Miracle In Glendale, AZ

Warning--you may not believe what you read below. I'm finding it hard to believe too. But it's all true.

"We were like men who dreamed...our mouths were filled with laughter...the LORD has done great things for us and we are filled with joy!" (Ps 126.1-3) In 536 BC, after 70 years of captivity in Babylon and Persia, over 40,000 Israelites returned home to Jerusalem, to rebuild the city and to re-establish Israel. Psalm 126 records their joy as they arrived, the celebration of a miracle that no one thought possible.

Imagine their joy arriving after a dangerous journey up the Euphrates River and then across the desert. Having to travel by foot and animal, the 700-mile trip could have taken more than a year.

Imagine their joy at the miracle of returning home to Jerusalem. History reveals that captives are either killed, enslaved, or dispersed. They do not return home. Also, Jerusalem had no temple, no walls, and only a cluster of houses. The Babylonians had destroyed the city 50 years earlier. The city needed to be rebuilt.

Yet the Israelites rejoiced because they had returned home. And although they had needed a miracle to return, God provided just that.

The following will NOT compare, I know, I know, I know. But for me, the miracle in Glendale, AZ recently stirred in me the same emotions described in Psalm 126.

The Arizona Cardinals are going to the Super Bowl after defeating the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC championship on January 18. I cannot believe it. It does not seem true. But it is, a miracle of sorts in the NFL.

Back in the 1970's, I began rooting for the then St Louis Cardinals because I felt that then quarterback Jim Hart was a good role model. Even after Hart retired, I continued to root for the Cards throughout the '80s and '90's.

However, those teams became synonomous with futility and losing. I never talked much about the Cards, because with the teams going mostly 6-10, 5-11, and 4-12 for over 20 years, there wasn't much to discuss.

I kicked the habit of rooting for the Cards and began rooting for Kurt Warner due to his outstanding testimony for our LORD Jesus Christ and Warner's Super Bowl victory in 2000 with the St Louis Rams.

But after being benched twice, Warner signed with the Cardinals in 2005. I became a Cardinal fan again.

Even with Warner, the Cards continued losing, going 5-11. And worse yet, Warner was benched twice more. He talked of retiring after the 2006 season.

However, he won his job back, had a record-breaking year in 2008, and led the Cards to their first division title in 33 years (I remember the last one, in 1975, when I was a freshman at the Washington Bible College!)

The Cards were given no chance to advance in the NFL playoffs. After all, with their history of losing, they did well just to get there. Yet, they beat Atlanta, upset Carolina, and set the stage for a showdown with favored Philadelphia for the NFC championship.

They jumped out to a 24-6 lead, only to see Philly rally to take the lead in the fourth quarter. Warner then led the Cards on a long, tense drive completing it with his winning touchdown pass. The win completed the miracle and touched off an amazing celebration.

I saw tears rolling down Adrian Wilson' face during his interview with Foxsports. Other players cried as well. Warner called out his wife from the stands, and embraced her. He later choked up twice in his post-game interview. Other fans, even grown men, cried. Long-time Cardinal fans congradulated their sons, and sons their fathers. I read on a blog where strangers actually hugged each other celebrating near the stadium.

I admit, I got a lump in my throat. And then I just started laughing. In fact, I'm laughing right now as I type this. I still cannot believe it. And yet because it's true, I feel this crazy sense of joy, like a dream come true kind of joy--joy for me, joy for the Cards, joy for Kurt Warner, who was benched four times in his career, and then comes back and leads one of the worst teams in the NFL to the Super Bowl.

And joy too because as the Cards advance, Kurt is getting more attention for his outspoken testimony of his faith in Christ. His boldness with the media has encouraged me here in the Dominican Republic.

The Cardinals play the Pittsburgh Steelers for the NFL championship Sunday Feb 1. Again, the Cards are expected to lose. But that's ok.

If they win, I'll laugh and joyfully celebrate the miracle described Psalm 126 all over again. And maybe get another lump in my throat.