ABOUT FAITH & FREEDOM

Tuesday, January 14, 2025

Protest Turns Into Praise

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The Cotton Bowl between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns on Friday night is going viral – not for touchdowns, plays, or interceptions, but for prayer. 

Ohio State defeated Texas in the College Football Playoff semifinals and will advance to next week's national championship game against Notre Dame.

Despite edging out the Longhorns in the final minutes, what the Ohio State players did before the game is drawing people's attention.

Yes, they took a knee, but it was not in protest but in praise.

Be informed, not misled.

Only a couple of years ago, athletes were taking a knee, raising their fists, and turning their back on our country, our flag, and often on our Christianity. 

Americans got so sick and tired of watching this act of rebellion done under the guise of "freedom of expression" that millions of us pushed back. Some so much as to stop watching and attending sporting events. 

Some professional football team owners demanded their team stay in the locker room until after the  National Anthem was presented.

College athletes soon followed their big brothers in professional sports.

Then, high school athletes began to protest publicly. 

Things have changed. 

A spiritual movement is sweeping across our nation among our young adults.

In a video trending across social media, almost the entire Buckeye roster took to the field and bowed to their knees in prayer to Almighty God.

Skeptics would say athletes pray to God to favor them over their opponents. But the skeptics would be wrong. 

More on that in a minute.

The stadium crowd could be heard cheering as the players prayed and the game began.

Football players taking the field and displaying their faith in Jesus Christ is not new. However, seeing almost the entire team bow in prayer has stunned football fans and followers. 

This is a growing movement.

And they're not praying that God will help them beat the other team.

They are praising God for the opportunities and asking that He use them for His glory and honor.

Several members of the Ohio State team have been very outspoken about their faith, including running back TreVeyon Henderson, who posted his prayer on social media: 

I love you Lord, for your mercy never fails me

“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.”

Hebrews 4:16

TreVeyon continued: ""He's not done with this team...He wants to continue to grow through this team and lead more people to Him...I pray as a team that we can lean on the Lord and not on ourselves. Win or lose, by the way, we are going to praise God...It's going to be all for Him."

Although Ohio State went on to beat Texas 28-14, Texas Longhorns' defensive back Jahdae Barron had a powerful faith message to share during the post-game press conference, too.

“We truly know who our leader is, and that’s God and Jesus Christ.”

He continued: "Sometimes you don't come out on top, (but) we won. We truly know that our leader is God and Jesus Christ. And ultimately, it's having the ability to use the gift that He gave us to share to the world. It's been amazing...to have the opportunity to glorify God on the football field has truly been an honor," he shared.

Powerful words from Texas Longhorns defensive back Jahdae Barron after their loss to Ohio State.

Last summer, I talked about this Ohio State team on our daily radio program.

These players boldly preached the gospel to 800-1,000 people on campus last August. Ultimately, about 60 students accepted Christ and got baptized in a pond on the campus. 

Takeaway

This is happening on college campuses all across the country. People, mostly younger, are holding praise services in the rotunda of Capitol buildings in various states. They gather in public places, sharing their personal testimonies about what Jesus has done in their lives, and assure the crowds He can do that for them as well.

Also, before the game began, the officials read this prayer to the public, and ESPN actually broadcast it to the millions who were watching on television:

The prayer was read by former chair of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association, Fred McClure, after a moment of silence for the New Orleans victims and those who lost their lives in the Los Angeles wildfires.

'Loving father, we seek your blessings today for all those gathered here and especially for those on the field as we come together to celebrate the 89th Cotton Bowl Classic, we lift up the young men representing the Ohio State Buckeyes and the the Texas Longhorns,' he said.

'Keep them safe from injury and harm. Instill within them a deep respect for one another, and reward them or their perseverance.

'We are grateful for the freedom and the privilege that we have in this nation to compete and connect through sports. Yet we are mindful of those who are unable to participate due to violence, poverty or discrimination. 

'Lord, stir our hearts to tear down these barriers by striving to give our best, treating others with dignity and respect, and reflecting your grace and kindness in all that we do. 

'Now receive all your glory, your power, and your honor forever, amen!'

Be Informed. Be Blessed. Be Hopeful. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.