As anyone who watches football, or television for that matter, knows, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field just nine minutes into the game between the Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals on January 2, 2023. After a hard tackle, Damar suffered cardiac arrest. His heart literally stopped beating. The medical team restored his heartbeat on the field, and he was taken by ambulance to a hospital. He remained in critical condition and the whole nation monitored his progress to recovery. Several days after he was admitted, he woke and his first question was, “Did we win?” Hamlin’s doctors reportedly told him, “The answer is yes, Damar, you won. You’ve won the game of life.”
My husband is a sports enthusiast. I am not but even I watched with bated breath as a human shield was formed around the medical team and Damar on the field. I watched players from both teams begin to pray. It’s affirming to me that, in times of desperation, society knows the situation is in God’s hand only — and they pray for mercy and grace.
Yes, Damar Hamlin won that day. His heart began to beat again. He was given more time on this earth. As Christians, we are the ultimate winners! Christ won the battle of everlasting life. He suffered, died, and rose triumphantly. As baptized children of our heavenly Father, we took that same path.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him (Romans 6:3–5, 8).
In a sermon several weeks ago, the pastor said we are tied to Christ as surely as if we were tied with a rope. We are connected. We are HIS. This gives me great joy and comfort. Christ is victorious and that makes us winners. We win and we have been tasked with sharing our prize with others. Life is not a game, my friends. It’s an opportunity to share Christ and His message of salvation with the world.
After a thorough medical evaluation, Damar was released from the hospital to continue recuperating at home. May God heal and strengthen him and may the world know Who saves.
Today, and always, we are surrounded by HIS grace,
Debbie
