Tonight, America Kneels

Services

Sunday - 11AM Worship Service

by: Pastor Johnny Golden

01/02/2023

2

Tonight, as I and millions of other sports and football afficionados prepared to watch the Buffalo Bills take on the Cincinnati Bengals, there was a heightened sense of euphoria in the collective air.

Led by two extraordinary, gifted quarterbacks with the division championship at stake we were expecting to witness a 'classic'. The "I was there  when Team X won..." bumper stickers were already  inked up - we just needed to know the final score.

But there would be no final score tonight. Tonight, America witnessed a sporting event become a news event. Something of this magnitude had never, ever happened before. We have seen athletes get 'knocked silly'  by the ferocity and force of  an opposing players solid tackle, but we what we were about to witness would cause even the most jaded agnostic  to take a  knee.

In a time and age when even prayer has become politicized we watched the entirety of 2 football teams, staff, players, coaches and many fans in the stadium Kneel and Take a Knee.

No one cared about the race, ethnicity, color or cause of the player or what the underlying political-social-religious message might be interpreted as - all we wanted was for #3, 24 year old Damar Hamlin to be ok. A "thumbs up" would make the "knee down" an absolute God-send.

Itz after midnighte here on the east coast and the latest news is that Hamlin is in Critical Condition fighting for his very life. It has been reported that his mother was at the game as was transported to the hospital with him.

In the aftermath of the tragedy I soon found myself Googling to see just how many UC L1 TC (Urgent Care Level 1 Trauma Centers) we have here in this area.

Life is filled with so, so many ironies. The very gridirons where the Kneeling Controversy began now find themselves Kneeling and no one dare utter a contrarian word. No, not one.

Lives matter. Tonight, America Kneels.

Dear Lord, we submit and admit that we have no other confidence than that which is found in You.

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Tonight, as I and millions of other sports and football afficionados prepared to watch the Buffalo Bills take on the Cincinnati Bengals, there was a heightened sense of euphoria in the collective air.

Led by two extraordinary, gifted quarterbacks with the division championship at stake we were expecting to witness a 'classic'. The "I was there  when Team X won..." bumper stickers were already  inked up - we just needed to know the final score.

But there would be no final score tonight. Tonight, America witnessed a sporting event become a news event. Something of this magnitude had never, ever happened before. We have seen athletes get 'knocked silly'  by the ferocity and force of  an opposing players solid tackle, but we what we were about to witness would cause even the most jaded agnostic  to take a  knee.

In a time and age when even prayer has become politicized we watched the entirety of 2 football teams, staff, players, coaches and many fans in the stadium Kneel and Take a Knee.

No one cared about the race, ethnicity, color or cause of the player or what the underlying political-social-religious message might be interpreted as - all we wanted was for #3, 24 year old Damar Hamlin to be ok. A "thumbs up" would make the "knee down" an absolute God-send.

Itz after midnighte here on the east coast and the latest news is that Hamlin is in Critical Condition fighting for his very life. It has been reported that his mother was at the game as was transported to the hospital with him.

In the aftermath of the tragedy I soon found myself Googling to see just how many UC L1 TC (Urgent Care Level 1 Trauma Centers) we have here in this area.

Life is filled with so, so many ironies. The very gridirons where the Kneeling Controversy began now find themselves Kneeling and no one dare utter a contrarian word. No, not one.

Lives matter. Tonight, America Kneels.

Dear Lord, we submit and admit that we have no other confidence than that which is found in You.

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2 Comments on this post:

Smith

I too was glued to my TV set in disbelief of what my eyes witnessed. I cried and kneeled to pray.
This was no longer about a game but a young man's life. We can all come together and make a difference . Many praying and giving to his foundation.

DDDPailin

As I watched the mood of that night turned from cheers to silence and tears it was a sense of unity in the air.