Damar Hamlin is on the mind of America. In front of a national audience watching the sport that so many love, we witnessed the unthinkable. The incident wasn't a concussion or a torn ACL. It was a heart that stopped beating caused by a blow to the chest. The tragic hit and tackle set off an unprecedented chain of events. His heart stopped beating two separate times. Both times the medical personnel were able to resuscitate him. The first intervention was in the middle of a football field. We had no idea we were witnessing a miracle. What are the chances of the medical personnel (from two different teams) coming together on a second's notice and saving his life when death was seconds away?
This morning, his uncle released a statement that Damar was doing half of his breathing on his own. Miracles and more miracles. We have witnessed our fair share of tragedies. Tragedies have come and gone. Most tragedies that touch the heart of America have a call for Prayer.
Today, it feels different. God's healing power has his fingerprints all over this tragic incident. We, as a nation, have given a lot of lip service to prayer. In some calls to prayer, you witness the conviction of prayer, feeling the presence of God. Then, there are the calls to prayer that are read off teleprompters.
Today, where it is almost inappropriate to pray out loud or even talk about God on a national stage, is happening all around us. Yesterday, there was an ESPN news anchor who, during the televised live show, told his fellow sports anchor he was going to pray and do it right then (https://youtube.com/shorts/pk9TwonTnCM?feature=share). It was powerful. We are not talking about Fox News. We are talking about ESPN. That might be a first. One joked that they congratulated ESPN for not cutting to a commercial break.
There is a genuine outcry for God at this moment like we have never seen. At the risk of being overly dramatic, 9/11 is the last time I can think of where God was taking center stage as He does today.
Generosity has poured into Damar's charity to help kids. This last December, for Christmas, he raised $2,500. In the span of 3 days, over 6 million have poured into his charity from generous hearts all across America. That is more money than his $3.6 million dollar rookies' contract.
We hear that the church is dead. Christianity has weakened. Most people in America look at prayer as something you mention in tragic times. This time is different. No matter where you go, you hear confident calls for prayer for a 24-year-old football player who was grateful every day of his life to play the sport he loved. If you haven't watched the ESPN interview a few weeks back, it is worth seeing (Damar Hamlin a few weeks ago…). We all should live life, as Damar explained it prior to a freak blow to the chest that changed the trajectory of everything.
It is unfortunate that it has taken a tragic accident on the field of play to get our attention that life is fragile. However, it is even more important to realize that this country may not be as divided as we think as people come together from all walks and ideologies of life come together and pray. May God show America that He is real, He is still on His throne, and that prayer is not just something you give lip service to. It is a powerful healing expression of God.
Bob Brooks is the host of the Prudent Money Radio Show every weekday from 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM on KDKR
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