Tim Tebow is the quarterback that everybody either loves or hates. Former quarterback for the national champion Florida Gators, Tebow won the Heisman trophy in 2007 as the best college football player in the country. He turned his college career into a 5 year career in the NFL. Tebow remains a controversial figure because of his outspoken faith and Christianity. Despite the critics commentary, I think Timmy is a wonderful athlete and human being. I got the privilege to hear him speak a few years ago at a church in Jacksonville Florida. He said something at the end of his sermon that I will never forget.
In 2008 the theme was “finish strong” it was written in the locker room, it was embroidered on their practice uniforms, it was even painted on the field. It was burned in their brains all season. FINISH STRONG.
He said in the National championship game that year, the clock ran out, fans flooded the field and he was in a whirlwind of emotions. He looked up and sees coach Urban Myer walking across the field toward him. He said he remembered it vividly. Urban reached to take off his headset. He put his hand on Timmy’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. He said Timmy, I love you. I’m proud of you. And you finished strong.
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We will be boarding a plane to Africa soon. We have 3 more months until we finish this thing. We’re in the last leg of the race and the finish line is quickly approaching. I can’t help but sometimes think about post race. What life will look like, and what comes next. But being present is crucial in finishing strong. I feel like its my senior year in high school when I had seniorITIS. The last few weeks start to drag, so you let go, you become complacent, your drive starts to fade, and your motivation deteriorates. What happened? In the beginning you were on time, always trying, making honest efforts to succeed, getting involved, then one day everything starts to dissipate. Why try any longer, you’re almost finished right?
I feel like that on the race. I started with such motivation. I was constantly in the word, journaling EVERY day, getting lost in hours of prayer, my spiritual game was strong if you will. Then the months pass by. The people come and go. Rice gets boring. You’ve gone through your movie list on your hard drive twice. You feel like there is no more room to grow. You’ve given it your all, and now you’re ready to go home. Why keep trying? I could easily go through these next 3 months on cruise control. Going through the motions. Superficial conversations. Stuck mentally in a post race frame of mind.
But that’s not what I signed up for.
I signed up to be challenged. To grow. To be uncomfortable and broken. I didn’t sign up to watch movies and lie around in my hammock all day. I signed up to meet people, to be Jesus with skin on, and to fall deeper in love with my father.
In John 2 we read a story about Jesus turning water into wine. It was typical at banquets and gatherings to drink wine. Not just any wine. They would serve the best choice wine to their guests. After the guests became drunk they would bring out the cheaper wine.
We are very similar in this. We bring our best wine FIRST. We start strong. Going hard full speed ahead and then we start fading as the journey continues.
Initially we give him our best wine. But as time goes by it cheapens.
less effort. less hope. less energy. less faith. less drive. less motivation. less urgency.
We go through life, cheapening our wine. We start with such passion and intensity. We start with the good wine. Then we just WHINE. Life gets hard, tiring, and too demanding.
Our jobs used to be showing up early, staying late, climbing the ladder of success with determination. Now we show up with minutes to spare, late, or not even at all. We call in sick because we’re lazy and don’t want to give anymore. We settle for mediocracy and forget about promotions and other people we may be inconveniencing.
Our relationships used to be hugs, flowers, and words of affirmation. Now it’s just familiarity and coexisting. We are stuck in the routine, mundane, schedule filled with harsh words and little to no excitement.
Church life looks different. We used to volunteer, show up early, and raise our hands to praise god. Now we show up after the last song plays. We fight to stay awake through tired eyes. We don’t have time to volunteer because life happens, and we are sneaking out during the alter call to get the good seat at lunch.
Our wine cheapens.
People notice when the wine cheapens. When you lose your passion, and your desires decrease. They notice when the flame goes out.
I remember back when I was a new baby Christian. I think about the things I used to NEVER watch. The things I used to NEVER say. The places I would NEVER go. The things I used to NEVER listen to. Those things just seem second nature now. Compromise creeps in and passion fades. I cheapened the wine.
What starts off as our best should NEVER be cheapened.
Jesus always brings his best wine.
Good day- BEST wine
Better day- BEST wine
Average day- BEST wine
Bad day- BEST wine
If Jesus always brings his best, WHY don’t we?
The Holy Spirit in the NT is referred to as new wine. He doesn’t want you to live on yesterdays wine, on last months encounter, or last summers spiritual high. He wants you to bring and desire the best wine. He wants you to bring your best wine first and never stop. People almost never remember how you started but they almost always remember how you finish. The opposite of start should not be – stop. It should be FINISH. We should desire to FINISH STRONG.
When Tebow finished up his sermon. He asked the audience. Could you imagine getting to heaven and seeing God take off his headset, put his mighty hand on your shoulder and say to you:
(your name) I love you. I’m proud of you. And you finished strong.
I don’t just want to finish this race. I want to finish STRONG. I want to get everything I came for and I want to meet every person he sent me to meet. I want to continue pressing in, growing, and being challenged. Even when it’s hard. Even when it hurts. Even when I don’t “feel” like it. I want to bring him my best wine, from beginning to end, because He’s worth it. I want to not only finish the World Race strong, but the race of life. I long to hear him say Well done good and faithful servant. You did everything I sent you to do.
I love you so much.
I am so proud of you.
You finished strong.
