Letters From Grandpa #236

LETTERS FROM GRANDPA # 236 Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter will deal with Tim Tebow, and an interesting football game. Tim, as you probably know, was born in the Philippines. His parents were Christian missionaries. While pregnant with Tim his mother had amoebic dysentery which caused severe placental abruption. While this condition was serious, abortion was not an option to this Christian couple. Thus on Aug. 14, 1987 she gave birth to a boy who grew up to be considered by some the greatest college football player in history. Then the family moved to Florida. Even though Tim was home schooled, his mother saw to it that he participated in public school sports. Tim excelled in athletics and in 2003 was honored to be Player of the Year as a junior in high school. At the University of Florida he continued to excel. As quarterback of their football team he threw for 9,285 yards and 31 touchdowns, rushed for 2,947 yards and 57 touchdowns, and set a record for 12,232 total offensive yards. He was the first player in history to pass for over 20 touchdowns, and rush for over 20 touchdowns in a single season. His honors and awards are too numerous to mention in this brief letter.

After college Tim was drafted by the Denver Broncos and became a sensation by improving their 1-4 to 8-8 and winning the AFC West title. Today’s story, however, begins with a nationally televised college football game in 2009. Tim had been writing Phil. 4:13 in the black smudges under his eyes, but for that special game he selected John 3:16. He feels this verse embodies the essence of our Christian hope. They won that championship game and 94 million people Googled John 3:16.

Now let’s fast forward 3 years to the playoffs in 2012. The Denver Broncos were playing the Pittsburg Steelers. The Broncos won in overtime when Tim threw an 80 yard touchdown pass on the first play. After this remarkable win the Broncos were scheduled to play the Patriots. When Tim was headed to the post-game press conference his public relations representative stopped him with some startling news. It was exactly 3 years since Tim had first written John 3:16 under his eyes. The “rep” continued: “During the game you threw for 316 yards, your yards per completion were 31.6, your yards per rush were 3.16, the ratings for the night we're 31.6, and the time of possession was 31.06 and during the game 91 million people googled John 3:16 and it's the number one trending thing on every platform,’" Tim concludes that we serve a big God and adds: “I just have to be willing to step out and say, ‘Here you go, God, I’m going to give you my fish and my loaves of bread and watch what he does with it?”

Were the statistics in this game a mere accident, or was God making a statement? I don’t know. Even if God’s fingerprints were not on that particular game, however, I am convinced that God is interested in every minute detail in all our lives. Even though you may not be as famous as Tim Tebow, God is still interested in everything about you! Astronomers estimate that there are 70 billion trillion stars in the heavens. This means that there are more stars in the heavens than there are grains of sand on the earth. Yet God numbers the stars and has given every star a name (Ps. 147:4). Since God knows the name of every star, of course He also knows your name! Not one sparrow can fall to the ground apart from the will of our heavenly Father, and you are of more value than many sparrows (Matt. 10:29-31).

In 1940, England developed a primitive radar system that alerted them to incoming aircraft. Everyone was amazed at this remarkable technology. When high school students were asked, however, if they thought God understood radar many thought He didn’t. How ridiculous! God put radar in bats thousands of years before man ever thought of it. Today we have more information on our cell phones than Apollo 11 had when man landed on the moon in 1969. If your cell phone knows where you are and can tell you how many hours and minutes you used it last week, why should we question the intelligence and power of God?

God spoke like a loud trumpet blast to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 19), but in a still small voice to Elijah on the same mountain (1 Ki. 19). God called Saul by name in a blinding vision on the Damascus Road (Acts 9), but he called Zacchaeus down from his sycamore tree with a normal human voice (Lk. 19). Peter, Andrew, James, and John were called to be fishers of men after Jesus had directed them to a miraculous catch of fish (Lk. 5). Nathanael, however, knew that Jesus was the Son of God simply because Jesus recognized him when he was under a fig tree (Jn. 1).

So, God knows your name and can call you anyway He wants to. Someday something unusual will happen to you like it did to Tim Tebow. That’s the time to “Seek the Lord while He may be found, and call on Him while He is near” (Is. 55:6).

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce