Psalms 103:7: “He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.”

It is curious as to what the Psalmist meant by making known the acts of God.  Is he referring to the miracles of God, the creation of God, was he referring to God’s protection of Israel during the wilderness wanderings. Does God make His acts known to us today?

Back in 1985 I was a big fan of the movie Back to the Future.  I must have watched it a dozen times.  In the second movie Marty Mcfly travels thirty five years into the future to the year 2015 where he sees a marquee displaying the news that the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.  The writers meant it as a joke.  They wanted the most unlikely team to win a world series to be displayed as the winners.  The hapless Chicago Cubs, one of baseball’s oldest franchisees was the most likely and humorous choice. The last Word Series they won was in 1908 and since that time they competed in the World Series eight times losing each time.  That joke might become a reality as the Chicago Cubs are contending for the Worlds Series in 2015. Alas, by the time you read this the Chicago Cubs may have lost to the New York Mets today and will be out of the competition.  The reason they will lose is because of the curse of the goat.

If this were a spiritual matter I know Christians who would spin this in a way that would make it sound like a fulfilled prophecy.  Anyways, here is the reason the Cubs cannot win a World Series, it is because of the curse of the goat. There is a famous restaurant in Chicago named the Billy Goat Tavern known for its cheezborger (that’s cheeseburger with a Chicago accent).  The legend goes that on October 6, 1945 the Chicago Cubs were on a roll.  They had entered the World Series winning two of the first three games.  They were the favorites to win the series and all they needed to do was win two more games, which were being played on the home field and they would take the series.

Ah, but to many of the Northsiders in Chicago, October 6, 1945 proved to be the saddest day in the history of the city. The owner of the Billy Goat Tavern, William, Billy Goat, Sianis, who was a devoted Cubs fan purchased two tickets to Game four. Hoping to bring his beloved Cubs good luck he took his pet goat, Murphy, with him to the game.  At the entrance to the park, the Andy Fran ushers stopped Billy Goat from entering saying that no animals were allowed in the park.  Billy Goat appealed to the Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley who said he would allow Billy in but not the goat.  When asked why,  P.K.Wrigley said the goat stinks.  According to the legend both Billy and the goat were upset and Billy pronounced a curse upon the Cubs declaring that the Cubs will never win a world series so long as Murphy is not allowed into Wrigley Field. As a result the Cubs lost every game in the World Series and have never won a World Series since.

When Billy Goat died  in 1969 he officially lifted the curse. However, Murphy the goat went to his grave still bitter and unforgiving. Still, the Cubs began winning again and during a winning season the new owner of Billy Goat Tavern, Billy Goat’s nephew Sam Sianis, with the help of a reporter from the Chicago Tribune owned by the Wrigley corporation  brought Socrates, a direct descendent of Murphy  to Wrigley Field in an attempt to lift the curse. The goat was escorted to Wrigley Field in a white limousine and given a red carpet entrance to the park with a sign saying “All is forgiven. Let me lead the Cubs to the pennant.”  The ushers at the door refused  to allow Murphy’s descendant to enter the park.  The Cubs lost that game and immediately fell out of first place to end with one of their most disastrous seasons.

In 1994 the Cubs were having their worst home start in its history.  In an effort to end this losing streak Sam Sianis once again attempted to bring Socrates to Wrigley Field and once again he was denied entrance.  Only this time word spread throughout the packed house of Cub fans and a near riot broke out as fans demanded Socrates be allowed in the park to break the curse.  The uproar was so great that Ernie Banks (Mr. Cub) himself went and got Socrates and led him right onto the field of the stadium to the cheering crowds.  The Cubs won that game 5-3 breaking their losing streak and went on to win the division title.  Alas, Socrates was not allowed to join the Cubs when they went to San Francisco to play the giants where they lost four games to one.

Today marks the 30^th anniversary of the Back to the Future trilogy where it was predicted the Cubs would win the world series. The Cubs play the New York Mets tonight and if they lose, they are out of the series.  Many say the Back to the Future prophecy has predetermined the Cubs to win and if you watch the series tonight you will understand why you may see a goat in a Cubs uniform standing in the on-deck circle.

There are those who take the prophecy of Back to the Future and the curse of the goat seriously.  To most, however, it is just a joke and a series of coincidences that the press and fans can have fun with.  Unfortunately, the same goes for many of the acts of God.  Most people will view what we see as an act of God as just another curse of the goat. Coincidences and good timing. Perhaps that is why Psalms 103:7 says that He will make known his acts to the children of Israel.

The word acts in Hebrew is ‘alilah which means deeds and doings.  Oddly, this word is often a reference to wanton, reckless and malicious acts.   In our legal system we have a defense called Acts of God defense.  In others word if your neighbor’s tree is blown down in a windstorm and damages your car you can’t sue your neighbor because it was not his fault that the wind blew his tree down, it was an Act of God.  We associate hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes as acts of God. These are ‘alilah(s) seemingly wanton, reckless and malicious acts by God.  How could a good God bring an earthquake that kills thousands of people?

We know the reason for the goat curse, because Murphy was not allowed into the stadium. But why did God allow an earthquake to take place.  God will make His reasons known and understood to His people the ones who love Him and understand.   For those who love Him they will look on the positive side, they will see the greater good.

A few years ago I suffered an ‘alilah from God. I ended up in a hospital for three weeks and a nursing home for four months leaving me with a permanent disfigurement.  At the time it seemed ‘alilah a wanton act from God but now I discover it to be a real love gift from God.  My life would be entirely different now if not for that ‘alilah act of God.  It would not be for the better, that I am sure of.  So I thank him for my experience, for my little deformity because He has made me to know (become intimate with) His ‘alilah act.

If the Cubs lose tonight we can blame it on Murphy, it gives us something to shake our fist at. Murphy is no longer here to defend himself.  But if we suffer an ‘alilah from God,  He is still around to show us the reason why to make it known to us.

By the way I do not call natural disasters acts of God but acts of nature. I just cannot associate these disasters and anything else with God. I do not believe my physical problem was an act of God, it was all my fault and the fault of the enemy, God is just an opportunist and what was meant for evil He can turn to good.