First Sunday after the Epiphany

The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders; the Lord is upon the mighty

waters.= Psalm 29:3

Did we win the game?

When he wrote those first words to his teammates while coming out of a medically induced coma,

Damar Hamlin had no idea he’d been appointed as an ambassador for God;

he thought of himself as a football player, a good one - who’d regained consciousness after a really hard

hit.

BUT – he’d learned more - once he could speak to those teamates over ZOOM – a lifetime regained later

and realized he’d been carried – carried by astute & sustained medical intervention -

AND by unleashed and sustained prayer &. from death & back to life.

These prayers began with those same teammates circled tightly around him on the field –

imploring God to spare his life. And so he said – to them: " Love you boys."

Their prayer circle hadn’t come out of any coaches playbook or team meeting.

Those prayers were the instantaneous response we mortals have to a situation that’s beyond our

control.

Just like my 8th grade homeroom after we’d been called back from our classes and then told why –

by the principal over the intercom, "President Kennedy has been shot.", those players on

Monday prayed – just like a bunch of 8th graders did 60 years ago – instantly, and without restraint.

In the 24 hours following Damar Hamlin’s collapse – The God of Glory Thundered! Indeed!

And God’s lightning struck far beyond that stadium and hospital in Cincinnati - it struck a chord all over!

Causing outbreaks of prayer and a flash flood of contributions to Damar’s mission of caring

for the underprivileged children of his hometown.

This is who we are! This is what you and I are capable of!! Uninhibited human caring –

for all God’s children – each one of us owing our very lives to the love and will of God.

You and I can’t know the why of God & but we do know the love of God. "Love you boys".

And we are – each and every one of us CAPABLE – maybe not always able or willing or even inclined to –

But CAPABLE & capable of releasing that love freely into the world – by prayer, and acts of compassion.

Damar Hamlin had no idea he was chosen for that! To show us the good we are capable of –

but his horrific collapse also did THAT. God, seemingly coming out of nowhere yet again! &.

Just like Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan – to the crowd – a voice:

"This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased."

God doesn’t promise outcomes – at least not ones we can know in advance.

But – God does promise transformation – to all who are paying attention.

As we continue to pray for Damar’s healing, we may not be able to determine the outcome –

but we do have influence – and we can - by our prayer – continue the transformation.

As Chris pointed out to me in an email, prayer has been unmasked this week as something we all do!

It’s come out of the storage unit our culture has consigned it to –

it’s doors thrown open by the Bills and Bengals – two football teams praying for a brother –

a brother in need - a prayer so contagious it spread across the nation in a day!

While we all pray for a long and productive life for Damar Hamlin –

we know with certainty something he’d never thought to dream of –

that the voice of the Lord was stirred upon the waters in his name.

I know you and I’ll do our part to keep the prayers for healing, compassion and change going –

whenever – and for whomever - they’re needed. That’s what you do!

We’re committed to keeping the voice of the Lord out there – stirring the waters.

Let’s encourage – and pray for! – others to do the same.

It’s the best medicine we’ve got – and we ALL have it at our finger tips!

"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;

The Lord is upon the mighty waters."

IN THE NAME OF GOD; FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT. AMEN.