I in them and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in one, and that the world may know that Thou dost commission Me and dost love them according as Thou dost love Me.
John 17: 23, Concordant New Testament
Recently the millions of people around the world were shown the reverence of the living God put on full display for all to see. On January 2nd, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin was injured during a game with the Cincinati Bengals and had to be treated for cardiac arrest before he could be secured for transport to a local hospital. As millions of viewers watched live, team and medical staff worked to restore Hamlin's heart and breathing. Then something amazing happened, both head coaches met at midfield and agreed that continuing the game was not an option. In one moment their thoughts of winning and competition had turned to the well being of a young man laying motionless on the field. This was no longer about winning and the upcoming playoffs. This was about Damar Hamlin. Players from both teams gathered together, knelt and prayed. Fans in the stands bowed their heads in prayer. On this January 2nd evening, God was on full display in Buffalo. In the hours that followed the cancelation of the game, there were more examples that the hearts of many people were praying for Damar Hamlin. ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky prayed openly for the injured player on live television. Keep in mind, this is something I have rarely seen during weekly sports shows. Usually I'm treated to the antics of a few overpaid children playing a mans game. Now, instead of seeing players kneel for racial justice, I saw players kneeling in prayer for one of their own. In recent years, the bar has not been set too very high as far as quality of sports programming goes. A good friend of mine gave up watching the NFL due to the antics of a few. I get it. But one play that night in Buffalo seemed to change that. Forgotten temporarily were the NFL playoff races, replaced with updates on Damar Hamlin's condition. Through it all, prayers for his recovery took center stage.
"God, we come to you in these moments that we don't understand, that are hard, because we believe that you're God, and coming to you and praying to you has impact. We're sad, we're angry and we want answers, but some things are unanswerable. We just want to pray, truly come to you and pray for strength for Damar, for healing for Damar, for comfort for Damar, to be with his family, to give them peace. If we didn't believe that prayer didn't work, we wouldn't ask this of you, God. I believe in prayer, we believe in prayer. We lift up Damar Hamlin's name in your name, Amen."
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky praying for Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin
There was a time when Christian athletes in the National Football League were seen as a minority. Where thanking the Lord for a players success seemed almost taboo. In recent years, however, I've seen a radical shift in how professional sports personalities are suddenly using their public platform to bring glory to the Father. Former Florida Gators quarterback Tim Tebow took to taping scripture verses to his face to express his faith. He was, of course, criticized for his actions by a media not yet ready to accept the faith of the pro athlete. However, I have noticed more and more players giving glory and praise to the Lord in their comments to the media. Former president George Bush (2) was often seen bowing his head in prayer in certain moments. Even the vilified Donald Trump has professed his faith and beliefs publicly. I am of the opinion that if someone has a platform where they are the front and center of attention, then they also have a unique opportunity to share their faith and beliefs. Now for something which many may not be ready to accept. Does God work through the tragedy of others? Consider Damar Hamlin, who in one single moment almost lost his life on a football field in Buffalo. I suggest that it was the Fathers intent to use His child Damar in this particular moment in time that He would be known to His children. Whatever the case, Damar Hamlin has used his platform in recent days to give glory to the Father for his health and recovery. Perhaps the NFL is worth watching again.
~Scott~
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