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.
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!”
