1 Thessalonians 5.17
“Pray all the time.”
http://tebowing.com/
It was the craze that swept the world!
And to be honest it was one of the most unique, strangest crazes to sweep the world of all time.
It happened in the middle of roads.
On top of cars.
On balcony edges.
In parks.
In playgrounds.
In work.
In school.
Everybody was doing it.
Everybody was planking.
You may be asking, what or who or where or why or when is planking?!?!?
Well.
Planking was the term given to the new craze of lying down face first, completely motionless, body in a straight line with arms by your side, pretty much as the name suggests, in the shape of a plank.
The aim of the game was the more outrageous a ‘plank’ the better.
Push the limits.
Go big or go home!
The challenge to get the best planking photo took off!
People planked anywhere they could.
The more dangerous and outrageous the better. People planked on police cars, on the edge of a balcony from a tall building, on boats, anywhere they could find were they could lie motionless in the shape of a plank they planked!
At the summer camp I had the pleasure of working at in Canada we even ran our very own ‘planking competition.’
Guests had to take photographs of themselves throughout the day, in a different planking pose and whoever came up with the most creative ‘plank’ would be the winner.
The guests loved it!
The effort and planking skills were legendary!
There were guests planking across canoes out on the lake, on top of cabins, between bunk beds, on top of golf karts, on top of people, even on top of the basketball net!!!
It was a hit!
For whatever reason, the action of lying motionless, face first, facing the ground was hugely popular!
It was a rather surreal sight seeing loads of guests dotted around the camp all well, ‘planking!’
However there is a new craze that is slowly building momentum very similar to planking.
Tebowing.
Let me explain.
One of the most debated and dissected American Footballers is a chap called Tim Tebow.
He was a superstar in college American football. Broke loads of records, led his team the Florida Gators to multiple championships, he was worshiped, so much so they have even built a statue of him outside the team stadium and he is only in his early 20’s.
The fans love him.
He created ‘Tebowmania!”
However.
When it came for the time when Tebow would enter himself into the NFL draft to be selected by a pro team everything changed.
Tebow just didn’t fit in.
Analysts and pundits all admitted their love for Tebow the man, but not Tebow the American football player.
He was unorthodox.
He didn’t do it the way NFL quarterbacks are meant to.
He preferred to move out of the pocket and try and make the big plays with his feet and did not have the preferred talent to stand in the pocket and make all the required throws to his receivers down the field.
He was different.
To bring you up to today, Tebow was drafted in the first round (big shock for a lot of people) to the Denver Broncos.
However he has been seen as a project.
Something to work on.
However due to the Bronco’s struggles in recent times they have been forced to throw Tebow into the deep end a lot sooner than expected.
The fans have been calling for him for ages.
His jersey has consistently been one of the biggest sellers in the whole of the NFL.
Fan groups even bought billboards in Denver and covered them with Tebow to try and get the Broncos coaches attention sooner!
They guy is in a whirlwind.
There is huge pressure on him from his coaches, his teammates and the fans to succeed.
Everyone is looking to him to reproduce his college success on the pitch immediately for the Broncos.
And they don’t want to wait.
They want success now.
They guy is under pressure.
Recently Tebow started his first game for the Broncos against the Miami Dolphins and led them to a comeback victory in overtime to register his first win as a starter for the Broncos.
It wasn’t pretty and he didn’t do it the way most NFL quarterbacks are expected to play but he got the job done.
After the game in the middle of the celebrations, the hype, the media scramble to all get a piece of the much-debated star Tebow had something different in mind.
This is when Tebowing was invented.
Tebow did not jump around celebrating, flaunting his first victory in front of the opposition or soaking up the praise from his adoring fans or chest pumping with his teammates or hugging his coaches.
Instead Tebow, knelt down on one knee, bowed his head, and prayed.
In the middle of all the busy surroundings he chose to pray.
To talk to God.
No one knows what he said or what he prayed about.
But he chose in that very moment to pray.
You see what I had failed to mention is what has made Tebow from an ordinary NFL player to a superstar.
Tebow is a Christian.
He has openly talked about his love for the Lord Jesus Christ, his good morals and constant drive to do everything he can to be an example for everyone of the incredible love shown by Jesus Christ in his life.
Tim Tebow is a Christian celebrity.
He has inspired many through his actions, through his words and through his success.
Everyone wants a piece of Tim Tebow.
However in probably the biggest moment of his NFL career to date, his first victory as a starter, leading his team to an unlikely comeback victory, he chose to kneel, bow his head and pray.
It got me thinking.
How do I pray?
How do you pray?
Do you save up all your chat for God at night so when you are bed, when you already have to close your eyes because you are trying to go to sleep, do you try and put together some sort of prayer to God while you are slowly falling asleep?
I do all the time.
Or do you pray at meal times, saying the fastest prayer of all time so you can quickly munch your food before it gets cold?
I do all time too.
Or do you Tebow.
You know.
Drop a knee, bow your head, no matter what is going on around you and pray?
This is something I don’t do.
And I am not talking about the physical actions of literally dropping a knee however I must admit I love the significance of it.
Bowing.
Submitting.
Surrendering.
Giving yourself.
Realising there is something bigger.
A higher power.
An awe inspiring God who you have the chance to come before.
I am talking about the ability, the choice, to pray to God in whatever surroundings, whatever circumstances, whatever moment you find yourself in during the day.
Tebow, took the time in the middle of the celebrations to pray to God. He didn’t wait till he got home and into bed, he didn’t wait to attend a local prayer meeting so he could pray with others who had chosen to pray too.
He prayed right there and then.
He chose to glorify God in front of millions of people watching and make a statement that glorifying God was more important to him than the victory.
You see prayer shouldn’t be a chore.
It shouldn’t be seen as a routine.
It was once described to me as a “mobile phone with unlimited credit.”
A chance to talk to God.
Anytime.
Anywhere.
Anyhow.
No matter what the circumstances.
No matter what the surroundings.
No matter the people.
Prayer is the opportunity to talk to God.
To be honest this is something, which I do struggle with. I struggle to comprehend that the creator of the universe, the God that created you and me and the other 7 billion people on this planet, wants to listen to me.
He wants to hear my prayers.
He actually listens to me.
He listens to me moan, grumble whine, whinge, complain, question, rant.
He wants to hear about my day, about work, about my relationships, my family, choices, my decisions, what’s on my mind.
He wants to hear it all.
And not just me.
He wants to hear your prayers.
Everybody’s prayers!
So let me ask you.
Will you choose, no matter the situation, no matter the people, the surroundings, the circumstances, to pray?
Will you realise that you can’t do it all by yourself?
As the famous U2 song is titled “Sometimes you can’t make it on your own.”
Will you submit to God through prayer in the middle of your busy day and packed schedule your thoughts, feelings, concerns, praises and questions?
Will you make a statement of your faith through prayer?
Will you pray when everyone else around you isn’t?
Are you willing to Tebow for God?
Phillipans 4.6
“Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”
Love it!