This Is Our Ice

This past hockey season, the Minnesota Wild had a new campaign that was called; “This Is Our Ice”.

This campaign included a day in September when fans from all over Minnesota were invited and encouraged to each bring in a jar of water (3oz) from their local pond, lake, or ice rink to the Xcel Energy Arena.

The water was filtered, poured into a Zamboni, and frozen to help make ice at Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota Wild's 2017-18 season.

Minnesota Wild President Matt Majka explained that every winter, the ponds and lakes freeze over and become sheets of ice where young and old play hockey.

“This Is Our Ice” campaign is built upon a tradition that began during the inaugural season (2000).

At the beginning of every hockey game, a young hockey player skates out and plants a MN Wild flag at center ice to let everyone know that THIS IS OUR POND!

It is as much of a tradition at the start of every game as singing the National Anthem(s) or shouting; “Let’s play Hockey!”

Players and fans are hoping that this symbolic gesture sends fear into the hearts of every opponent that steps their skates on our pond. THIS IS OUR ICE!

We are saying to all who oppose us; “Not here, not now, not ever! This is our place; and you can’t win here. We are dressed for battle! We are equipped for war! Nothing or no one or no weapon that you bring here will prosper! We will defeat you and you must flee!”

Now that the season is over, I’m really not sure if it made any difference because even though the Minnesota Wild have the third-longest active post-season appearance streak in NHL (6 seasons), they have yet to go very deep into the play offs or come close to winning the Stanley Cup.

Or did it?

Everywhere that I went this past season, I saw it on shirts and jerseys on fans. In their yards were signs proclaiming; “This Is Our Ice!” On their cars were banners waving proudly as they drove them.

Fans were pumped, not just in hope that this was the season that we would do it; but because fans had a sense of something bigger than themselves.

Fans collectively were telling anyone who would listen that we were a team and that this was our town and they best leave Minnesota without a victory.

We (fans) would not cower!

As Christians, we have a banner that we can plant before each and every “game” that we face. In the Old Testament (Exodus 17:15), God is revealed as Jehovah-Nissi; God is my Banner.

We are saying to all who oppose us; “Not here, not now, not ever! This is our place; and you can’t win here. We are dressed for battle! We are equipped for war! (Ephesians 6:10-20). Nothing or no one or no weapon that you bring here will prosper! We will defeat you and you must flee!”

The Lord said it best through the Prophet Isaiah (54:17);

No weapon formed against you shall prosper,
And every tongue which rises against you in judgment
You shall condemn.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
And their righteousness is from Me,”
Says the Lord.

 

This is not based upon whether or not we “play the game perfectly. It is based upon Jesus who already defeated the enemy once and for all on the cross through His death, burial, and resurrection.

We have a hope because we are a part of something bigger than ourselves.

And because Jesus was victorious; each and every time we are opposed, we can remind ourselves and Satan that we are a part of a team and this is our town (family, finances, health, etc.) and Satan had best leave Minnesota without a victory.

Because of Jesus, we too can shout out in confidence; “This is Our Ice!”