What Tim Tebow Taught Me About PRAYER

Last updated on: October 12, 2016 at 1:32 pm by Ashley Willis

What Tim Tebow Taught Me About PRAYER 2016-10-12T13:32:00-04:00 Ashley Willis

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Recently on Good Morning America, they shared a heart-warming story that instantly grabbed my attention. They reported that former football pro-athlete and current minor leaguer, Tim Tebow, was signing autographs after a game one day when he noticed that a man in the stands was having a seizure. Tebow immediately ran over to the man, placed his hand on him, and began praying for him. Miraculously, the man awoke in seconds and was able to breathe again. Tebow stayed by the man’s side until the paramedics came, and, thankfully, the man is now in stable condition. To some, this story may not seem like that big a deal, but to me, it’s EVERYTHING.

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As a Christians, we believe in the power of prayer, but sometimes, we forget to utilize it FIRST. If you’re like me, you try to “figure it out” or find a way to to fix things yourselves. And, then you pray that God will do the rest. Now, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t try to use our own common sense, knowledge, and training to remedy a problem, but we should be quick to pray FIRST…not as an afterthought. And, we shouldn’t shy away from praying for others. Tebow possesses a keen understanding of this and practices it in his own life.

As GMA wrapped up this story, they mentioned that Tebow is known for taking a knee and praying before every football game during his time at the University of Florida and as a pro-athelete. Some praised him for publicly exercising his faith, while others accused him of using prayer as a way to draw attention to himself. But, through the years, Tebow has shown his commitment to his Christian faith and prayer both inside and outside of the stadium limelight. Recently, Tebow lead nervous passengers in prayer during an in-flight emergency. Passengers were gracious and felt calmer because of it. Prayer never returns void (Isaiah 55:11). It may change our circumstances, but more than anything, it calms our hearts and keeps our focus on God.

http://sixseeds.patheos.com/davewillis/tim-tebows-5-reasons-for-not-having-sex-before-marriage/

Friends, most of us will never have the news reporting the moments that we pray for others, but I am glad that Tebow’s prayers are getting national media attention. It shows me that the world is still curious about the real power of prayer, and stories like these remind us that God moves in a mighty way when we are obedient to pray.

In fact, I am challenged by Tim Tebow’s willingness to stop whatever he is doing to take the time to pray for someone. He could’ve assumed that someone else would help the man having a seizure. But, he refused to ignore this man’s need. He could’ve yelled, “Any doctors or medical personnel in the audience?” Or, he could have called 911. These actions would have been good and helpful to the man. But, Tim Tebow took things a step further. He took it upon himself to do the one thing that he knew would change everything for that man in that moment. He prayed for him and stayed by his side until medical help arrived. Tebow didn’t know this man, but he knew that he needed a prayer at that moment. And, he was willing to put his fame, reputation, agenda, and comfort aside to pray for a man in need.

http://sixseeds.patheos.com/ashleywillis/a-prayer-for-my-children/

When ABC News asked Tebow about his prayer for the man having a seizure, Tebow said this:

“You just remember what’s important. Baseball’s awesome, and it’s something I’m so excited I get a chance to pursue, but what’s important is lives matter, people matter. This young man, he mattered. So my first instinct was to just be with him, put my hands on him and pray for him.”

I want prayer to be my “first instinct” whenever I see someone in need. There have been many moment when I’ve felt God nudging me to offer to pray for someone, but I’ve been reluctant to approach the person out of fear, embarrassment, or inconvenience. But, in those moments when I’ve listened to God and prayed with someone in need, they’ve always accepted my prayers. You’d be surprised at how open non-believers are to prayer when they need it most. As Christians, God will always give us plenty of opportunities to comfort someone with prayer. We just have to be willing to do it…no matter the circumstance.

Thanks so much for reading, sharing, and commenting. I’d love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Be blessed!

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