February 25, 2022
‘So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you should do it all for God’s glory.”
1 Corinthians 10:31
I had the opportunity to see a Penn State Lady Lions basketball game played at the Bryce Jordan Center. There is much I could say about the setting, including the jumobotron, the Blue Band pep squad, the cheerleaders, and the game itself. Women’s sports have come a long way since I was a manager for the Lady Lions team in the early 1970’s.
The weather was dismal, and so were the first three quarters. The Lady Lions (ranked 11th in the BIG) faced the Nebraska Cornhuskers (ranked sixth in the BIG). With 7:30 remining in the fourth quarter the Lady Lions were down by thirteen points. Penn State exploded with a 15-0 run to take the lead to win 83 to 76.
As soon as the celebration died down, the Lady Lions stood on the sideline and the Blue Band began to play the alma mater. The crowd joined in with the familiar words, “For the glory of old State.” Since the 2014 scandal, win or lose, all Penn State athletic teams sing the alma mater at the end of their games. It was a chicken-skin moment for me.
As moving as moment was, I was reminded that J. S. Bach regularly inscribed the letters “S. D. G.” (Soli Deo Gloria, “To God alone, the glory”). Bach understood that all of life can and should be lived for the glory of God alone. I wonder what would happen if we lived with that kind of mindset. What if the Doxology flowed from our mouths and heart, the words, “Praise God from whom all blessings flow…,” win and lose, happy and sad, at birth and at death?
Soli Deo Gloria ~ Anne
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