Last Saturday a long shot at 50/1 called “Mine That Bird” won the exclusive Kentucky Derby. Punters from around the world who had put money on this horse to win were delighted as a big pay day was in store for them. One of my friends told me he put $10 on this horse to win and he collected over $500.

Now I don’t want to start a debate whether Christians should bet or not (that’s for another day when I feel brave!). However, what this showed me was that even though the odds maybe stacked against you, there are always people who will want you to win just because your the underdog. British people love the underdog. If they do not have a personal connection with one of the sides in a contest, then British people will always go for the underdog.

For this very reason I think that God is British!! Okay, that may have stepped over the mark, but I do believe God cheers for the underdog. You can see it written all over the bible and in history, God uses people when the odds are stacked against them. The Psalmist said, “Some trust in Chariots, Some in Horses, but we will trust in the name of the Lord”. This is why God loves the underdog, because sometimes all they have left is to trust in him.

Good Christians will often say they are trusting in God, but when you look at our churches you realize this is not true. We trust in finances, in education, in marketing, in videos, in lighting, in buildings, in strategies, in staff, in interesting sermons, cool music, in influence, in leadership, in the offering plate, in first impressions, in relevance, in big bang events, in outreach methods, in small groups, in kicking kids ministries, in exciting youth ministries, in personalities and the list goes on. These are great things and most are needed in the church today, but when our trust is in these things we become the favorite to win, and remember God loves the underdog.

My new motto in life has become the Psalmists motto, “but we will trust in the name of our Lord”. So today I want to ask you two questions:

1. Where are you really putting your trust in today?

2. Do you feel like the odds are stacked against you? If so how will you be able to become victorious in the contest that your involved in today?

God loves the underdog! Are you an underdog that loves and trusts in him? If so you are about to rise to greatness!