Content

Just a quick post today.

Over the weekend I had a chance to watch a few minutes of the SEC Championship football game between Florida and Alabama. I did not see much of it, but in what I did see, I happened to see a shot of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow's face as he stood at the line waiting for the snap of the ball. I could see that there was writing on his eye black (those black stickers that players put below their eyes to help with the sun), so using the DVR I rewound and watched in slow motion until I could make it out.

Perhaps everyone knows who Tim Tebow is and knows his story. Not being a Gator fan, I didn't know much about him. I knew that he won the Heisman trophy a year ago and that he is in the running to win it again this year. I knew that after defeating Alabama on Saturday, he will lead his team in the BCS Championship game against Oklahoma in early 2009. That is pretty much it. After reading the message is his eye black, though, I decided to learn a little bit more.

Tebow was born in the Philippines, where his parents were serving as Christian missionaries. He was home schooled. He has taken time off over the summer to participate in short-term missions and has worked in a number or orphanages. He reportedly always stops to sign autographs if someone wants them.

The message on his eye black is "Phil. 4:13" - "I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13 (NIV) By itself this is a great verse and a fantastic statement for an elite college athlete to wear humbly on his face.

When I looked up the passage this weekend, I read more of the surrounding passages and want to share the words of Paul in Philippians 4:11-13 (NIV) as motivation for today, tomorrow and every day:

"I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

While things in our life may go up and down (see, e.g., the stock market, housing values, etc. to name some of the smaller things), harnessing the strength given to us by God can help us through.