Every Knee Shall Bow

First there was ‘planking’ – now there’s ‘Tebowing’.

American footballer Tim Tebow has sparked the latest craze to sweep the internet.

The Denver Bronco’s quarterback is a devout Christian, and has become known for getting down on one knee to pray during NFL games - often when he has assisted in scoring a touchdown. Now everyone’s ‘Tebowing’ – defined as: '(vb) to get down on one knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.'

Pictures are being sent into a website set up in his honour from around the world, showing fans 'Tebowing' in landmark locations such as the Sydney Opera House and Israel's Wailing Wall.

Others can be seen indulging in the practice while surfing or after carrying out allegedly life-saving surgery on a patient.

Tebow's performance was so good in Sunday's game against Pittsburgh Steelers - during which he threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to secure a last-ditch win - that it prompted TV presenters on CBS to join in on the craze.

He threw a total of 316 yards over the course of the game. With John 3:16 the most famous verse in the Bible, many on social networking sites and internet forums have suggested is further evidence of the divine interventions they believe the player benefits from.

Having followed this Tebowing craze for a few weeks now, I’m reminded of the hope that the Bible professes, and the line from the chorus “He Is Lord” – every knee shall bow, every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Thanks to Tim Tebow, all around the world people are getting down on one knee in the action of prayer. Now all we need is for them to actually pray. And to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

That’s our hope. That’s our mission.

May we be a people who bow our knee.

And may we join Tim Tebow in witnessing to our faith, and bringing others to their knees.