Tim Tebow and the Miracles

“Now this I know: the Lord gives victory to his anointed.  He answers him from his heavenly sanctuary with the victorious power of his right hand.” – Psalm 20:6

Is the success of Tim Tebow the real life version of Angels in the Outfield?   Is God a Denver Bronco’s fan?  (Last week proves to me that God, and rightly so, is at least not a Bears fan.)  Does God even care about football? 

How we judge the success of Tebow tells a lot about how we judge the relationship that we have with God.  I’ve been hearing quite a few commentators, whenever Tebow and his faith are mentioned, argue (often in defense of Tebow) as such:

Tebow is good for the NFL.  He’s a dynamic player who is upfront about his faith.  He’s not shoving it down anyone’s throat. (True.)  It should be refreshing that someone is standing for what they believe in and actually living it out. (True.)  And God has more on his plate than a football game, I assure you.  (Really?)

This final statement gets expressed in various ways but it implies the same notion that God does not waste his time on trivial matters like a mere football game.  

If we believe God to be all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, and all-loving then such a sentiment is false.  If we can agree that there is no thing too big for God, then the opposite must be true, there is no thing too small for God.  “You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from a far.  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.  Even before a word is on my tongue, behold O Lord, you know it altogether.” – Psalm 139:2-4

What we should remember is not only that God is sovereign but he is also a loving Father.  He delights in his children, and takes joy in what they do.   I’m sure God loves that his son, Tim Tebow, is enjoying himself in playing football, and God gets even more delight in seeing that Tim directs the glory back to Him.  “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” – Zephaniah 3:17

So is God constructing a divine victory for Tebow and the Broncos?  Did an unseen angel run behind Marion Barber, gliding him to the sideline, or maybe it reached out a fiery wing and punched the ball out, causing him to fumble?  I don’t know.  Maybe.  But I do know that no responsible or loving parent would race out to the middle of a basketball court, push their kid down in the middle of a free throw attempt and say, “I’m going to take this shot for you, just to make sure you win.”  Although I’ve never met him, I can call Tim Tebow my brother, and I hope he keeps winning.  Cause the more he wins, the more people talk about him, and the more people talk about him, the more they’re going to be talking about the Father.

Many claim that all Tim Tebow does is win, but the victory we know has already been won, and that in Christ:

“The sting of death

is sin

and the power of sin

is the law.

But thanks be to God

Who gives us Victory

through our Lord

Jesus Christ.

Therefore

My Beloved Brothers,

be Steadfast

Immovable

Always (always)

Abounding

in the work

of the Lord

Knowing,

that in Him,

your labor

Is not in vain.”