“Have You Considered My Servant Tim Tebow?”
The Tim Tebow story really is amazing … with multiple 4th-quarter and overtime come-from-behind wins that, along with his public expressions of faith, give rise to a consideration of divine blessing and intervention. And still, the football experts (which I am not at all) say this is all a flash in the pan and temporary thing – that his skills do not portend a continuous excellence and success.
Tebow has become an illustration of the polarization of America – between the extremes of those who value an active and daily faith, with those who do, frankly, despise Christianity and faith as a sort of fairy-tale foolishness.
Since this is football and not something serious like baseball or distance running, I thought I’d have some fun with it by writing up a parallel account of the Old Testament Book of Job, chapter one …
In the land of the NFL, there lived a man whose name was Tim Tebow. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. He had 10 teammates on offense, 52 on his squad, thousands of fans in Denver, and a large number of admirers all across the land. He was the greatest man among all the people of the NFL.
He and his teammates every Sunday feasted on the broken defensive backfield schemes of the NFL. And early each Sunday, he would dedicate his game and his play to the Lord. He would make an offering of prayer throughout the day. This was Tebow’s regular custom.
One day the angels came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came with them. The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the Lord, “From roaming throughout the NFL, going back and forth from division to division.”
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Tim Tebow? There is no one in the NFL like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil, and drives commentators and all your friends crazy.”
“Does Tim Tebow honor God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his team and everything he does? You have blessed the play of his game, so that the word of his victories has spread all throughout the land. But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and afflict him with a terrible loss, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
So, how will the story continue, and how will it end?
I don’t know for sure what even the next week brings. This young man has quite a spotlight on him, but he does seem to have the character to withstand it … yet nobody is perfect, and any misstep will be publicized inordinately.
However, I do suspect that when the time comes that wins fail to materialize and the game goes against him, this chapter will end (as does Job 1) …
And Tebow said, “The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
In all this, Tebow did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
In the event that you are unfamiliar with Job chapter 1, here it is:
1 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. 2 He had seven sons and three daughters, 3 and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
4 His sons used to hold feasts in their homes on their birthdays, and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom.
6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.”
8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.” Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
13 One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 14 a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby, 15 and the Sabeans attacked and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
16 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The fire of God fell from the heavens and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
17 While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and made off with them. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
18 While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, “Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house, 19 when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!”
20 At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship 21 and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised.”
22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
The Word of Randy 