Let Me Brag On God (Part Two)

Back in August at a football scrimmage Tucker took a snap and ran a bootleg to the left sideline. After gaining nearly fifteen yards a defender tackled him. When Tucker got up he limped. Brenda and I both noticed it. The trainer looked at him and then sent him back out on defense a few plays later,  but he obviously could not play at full strength. He did not play anymore that night.

The next day his knee swelled and he could barely walk. It shocked me. We went to see a doctor who recommended a MRI. The MRI revealed a torn ACL in his left knee. Tears formed in Tucker's eyes and slowly ran down his cheeks. For one of the few times in my life I felt helpless to do anything to help him. The doctor left for a few minutes leaving us alone. In that moment I recalled something that happened earlier that day on the way to the doctor's office. While driving down the road and praying, I sensed the Lord say, "I will heal Tucker. He will play again this year and dominate. You do not deserve this." 

I dismissed the thought as something I manufactured in my own mind. I needed gas and stopped before the appointment. While pumping gas I once agains sensed the Lord say, "I will heal Tucker. He will play again this year and dominate. You do not deserve this." I kept these things to myself.

So all of this came back to mind while we sat in the examination room. I began to pray again. I prayed, "Lord that is what the doctor says. What do you say? You have the last word on Tucker's knee.What do you want us to do."

One of the nurses attends our church. She tried to comfort Tucker but to no avail. It was a sad day in the Edwards household. We have repeatedly prayed for God protect our boys and their teammates while they play. We set a follow up appointment for a couple of weeks to give the inflamed knee time to reduce in swelling. The doctor's long term diagnosis included surgery and up to six months of rehabilitation before being able to fully released.

Tucker and I drove home in silence. He still cried a little. I prayed a lot. Then I had one of the toughest conversations with Tucker I've ever had. I told him, "Tucker, what you believe about God right now in this moment is very important. I know you worked hard to be on varsity this year. I know you have trusted God and you play for His glory. It probably feels like God let you down. Do not quit trusting God. We do not know what God will do."

The following Sunday morning after the service, that nurse I mentioned earlier, handed me a handwritten note. Her words stunned me in my tracks. She wrote that since we had come in for our appointment she had not been able to get Tucker off her mind. She also wrote she believed God wanted to heal Tucker as a witness to the doctor. She wrote some other things but that is the essence of the note.

The following week I read Numbers 11:23 (NASB) 
²³  The LORD said to Moses, "Is the LORD'S power limited? Now you shall see whether My word will come true for you or not." I became increasingly convinced God intended to heal Tucker. I began to speak about it when people asked me how he was doing. Many said they would join me in prayer.

The following Sunday I preached from John 11 about the resurrection of Lazarus. I thought of Tucker repeatedly as I studied for that message. One verse really spoke to me. In fact, God would remind me of this verse many times in the days to come.  John 11:40 (NASB) 
⁴⁰  Jesus *said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 

After a couple of weeks went by we went back to the doctor. His diagnosis remained the same. He wanted to wait a little longer so the inflamed kneed would calm down. He set another appointment in a couple more weeks. 

In the meantime, I began noticing Tucker walking more normally. He told us repeatedly he did not feel any pain in his knee. He began some physical therapy work through the school trainer to increase flexibility. One day I saw Tucker doing lunges without any pain or weakness in his injured knee. I watched astounded and more convinced God had already begun healing the knee. 

I told Tucker that I thought the healing would take some time. I thought he would miss half the season. He did not want to hear that but listened to my encouragement to work hard to get back. 

One day while we were mowing, I saw Tucker take off jogging back to my truck to get some weed eater string. He also jogged back. He squatted down like a baseball catcher to put the string on and I wondered how he could do that. At the house I saw him kneel down on both of his knees without even the slightest bit of pain. He did these things without even thinking about them.  The limp disappeared and the more and more mobility returned. All of this convinced me even more God was healing him. I spoke of it to the head coach. 

On our next visit to the doctor a decision would have to be made. He would be planning for surgery but I felt God had miraculous healing in mind. I prayed all that morning. Over and over again I remembered John 11:40, "Did I not tell you if you believed you would see the glory of God." I had to speak up in faith. I did so. I told the doctor we believed God was healing Tucker. He mentioned that 30% of people with ACL injuries are able to functor normally. He further expounded that this can be attributed to the fact that some people do not need an ACL, they learn to function without it, or GOD HEALS THEM. 

He then told Tucker he could wear a brace and be restored to the football team. Tucker began running sprints without the brace that day to get back in shape. The doctor told him straight line running would be fine.. I watched him closely and each time he told me he felt no pain. We all knew the tell tale sign would be him cutting and changing direction. This is where the ACL comes into play to stabilize the knee. People with injured ACL are not able to cut without their injured knee compromising. I privately took him to the track to do some light jogging and cutting in a slow zig zap pattern. Tucker told me again he did not feel any pain. 

This past Saturday night he had several guys spend the night for his birthday. I learned the next morning he had played football with them doing some juking with no ill effects after I went to bed. He does these things without ever thinking about them. He does what feels natural to him. As we waited for the brace he began running sprints with the team after practices and doing extra running once practice ended with some of the team captains. 

Yesterday afternoon he got his brace. He wanted to rush back to make the afternoon practice. By the time we arrived practice was already in progress. Tucker hurriedly dressed and trotted out on the field. For the first time in nearly two months Tucker wore his pads and stood ready to play football. This did not seem possible back in August. I watched him run on the field giving glory to God. I gave glory to God the first time he ran with the team and people said, "I thought he had a torn ACL." I stayed around to watch him practice. He showed no hesitation. He did not favor the left knee in the least. He attacked his plays like he did in the past. He did not favor the once injured knee. He looked like the old Tucker. When he got home he told me he felt no pain in his knee. 

I am here to brag on God and tell you God healed Tucker's knee. His knee is whole. While the doctor required the brace for insurance we know God has already healed Tucker. Some will think we are rushing Tucker back on the field. I am telling you that we believe God healed Tucker for His glory. This is my second opportunity to brag on God. God had the last say. God worked a miracle because it pleased Him to do so. We certainly did not deserve it and were prepared for surgery if that is what God wanted. God chose to heal. 

Why is that so difficult to believe. We read in our Bibles Jesus healed lepers, the lame, the blind, a woman with an issue of blood, a lady with a fever, and delivered the demon possessed. We pray asking God to heal in our day but I am convinced we do not always expect Him to do it. While we believe God can heal theoretically we do not believe it experientially. We seldom see or hear about God healing. Why is that?

Has God changed? Is He less capable? Is His power limited? Do we not trust Him? If God wills to heal He still heals. PRAISE HIS NAME. BLESS HIS NAME. I GLORIFY AND BRAG ON MY GOD. 

I have encountered many skeptics when telling people I believed God would heal Tucker. What I see God doing through my son is miraculous. It is not about the Edwards family. It is not about Tucker. It is not even about our church or the team. It is about the glory of God. So I brag on God. God healed Tucker for His glory and so I can point all of you, a whole football team, a church, and a community to look at what God did.