I had a chance to watch some of the Football Hall of Fame enshrinement on Saturday evening. The Class of 2008 included Fred Dean, Darrell Green, Art Monk, Emmitt Thomas, Andre Tippett, and Gary Zimmerman. As I watched I was struck by the fact that to a man, these great ballplayers, while physically gifted, never considered their success to be an individual accomplishment. As a matter of fact, the three speeches I did hear were basically tributes to family, friends, and teammates who helped them to become the players they had become. And the two words from these speeches that stick out the most in my mind are simply: “Thank you.”
There were thank yous to coaches and owners, teachers and mentors, parents and grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, grandchildren, cousins, fans, friends, and spouses. Thank you after thank you went out to people who either gave them a hand up, a shoulder to stand on (maybe even to cry on), or perhaps a much needed, kick in the pants. For the most part, these men had the necessary physical assetts, but there are many players who have great talents and never amount to much… These men not only succeeded (I would submit that anyone who makes it to the pro level in a sport has succeeded at their trade) but became “great” (isn’t that part of the definition of a Hall of Famer? someone who was “great” at their position?) And they did so because they had people who loved, encouraged, touched, and buoyed them when no one else would. At the end of the day, the only fitting tribute to give to someone like that is a word that wells up from the heart… “Thank you.”
In some small way, this blog is supposed to point people to the fame of the God who is worthy of praise. As I listened to these speeches, I found myself thinking that my journey toward God is also really nothing short of a journey of thanks. Some of the Hall of Famers talked of improbable odds. I’m no Hall of Famer (in any category), but as a sinner (Rom. 3.23) and one time enemy of God (Eph. 2.3), it is only fitting for me to speak of impossible odds. The Bible is clear that without faith, it is impossible for me to please God (Heb. 11.6). The Bible is clear that without being radically tied into Jesus, it is impossible to have a life that produces a Jesus kind of fruit (John 15.4-8). The Bible is clear that left to myself, it is impossible for me to chose Jesus or even seek after Him (Romans 3.10-12; Ephesians 2.1). The Bible is clear that without the Spirit, it is impossible for me to comprehend the plan (wisdom) of God (I Cor. 2.7, 14).
That’s why I am so thankful for a God who specializes in the impossible. The Bible is clear that with man these kinds of things are impossible, but “with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19.26). My life was faithless but Ephesians 2.8 tells me that faith is the gift of God and I have it now. I was like a branch severed from the life giving vine of Jesus but Colossians 3.4 tells me that now, Christ is my life. I wasn’t even looking for God, but Ephesians 1.4 tells me that God was looking for me and chose me before the foundation of the world and now I am His. I was blinded by Satan who was keeping me from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, but God said, “Let light shine out of darkness,’ and He has shone into my heart to give me the light of the knowledge of the glory of god in the face of Jesus Christ” (II Corinthians 4.6).
When I let the weight of the glory of these statements press down on me, I find myself with a thesaurus of words to appeal to, but capable of using only two that really captures what my heart truly wants to say… “Thank you.”
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