As most people reading this probably know, on Monday, 1/2/2023, Damar Hamlin collapsed on the football field, after suffering a cardiac arrest. The game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals was quickly suspended. Damar was treated on the field and then rushed to the hospital. Thousands of fans prayed at the game. Simultaneously, thousands more, if not millions, prayed across the nation. People gathered outside the hospital to pray. Damar Hamlin is probably the most prayed for man in our nation in a very long time. He made a very fast, and indeed perhaps miraculous, recovery. I praise God for that. So, what now?
In Hosea 13:6, God speaks of Israel forgetting Him after He has helped and provided for them. That pretty much summarizes their history. There is a similar pattern today, in our nation. A football player collapsed on the field and much of the nation began to pray. God seemingly answered and now the nation has seemingly moved on. Bad things happen in our individual lives and we begin to pray. Sometimes we see immediate answers and sometimes we don’t but, even when we do, do we just move on? I think, usually, we do. That should not be. Running to God only when we need something is not a relationship and a relationship is what He wants. That relationship is what it actually means to be a Christian.
In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus instructed us to pray for those with whom we disagree and even our enemies. You know, though we don’t often act like it, I think He was actually serious about that and, though most people probably weren’t thinking of Jesus’ words, we just saw an example of that. Damar played for the Buffalo Bills but players for and fans of the Cincinnati Bengals prayed for him, earnestly, en masse, and we saw the results. What if we did that in other areas? What if even conservative Republicans prayed for President Biden, earnestly, en masse? What if members of Baptist Church ABC prayed for Methodist Church XYZ down the street, earnestly, en masse? What if we start forgetting about who is right and who is wrong and who gets the credit for what and just pray for God to accomplish His will however and through whoever He chooses, earnestly, en masse? Concerning right and wrong, we must stand on the absolute truth of God’s Word but, as we do that, what if we remember that it is Him and only Him we are supposed to be working for and glorifying? What if we start to act and pray accordingly? What might happen? How about we try it and find out?
Just some things to think about as we move into 2023.
