It Really is all About How You Finish

So Sunday night I along with millions of, football fans, fans of creative commercials and fans of big parties, watched the Giants defeat the Patriots for the second time in five years on the biggest stage in the biggest game of the season and I'm left wondering how the seemingly lesser of the two teams has yet again beat the odds and won the game in dramatic fashion. After a less than impressive regular-season the G-men, very similar to the end of their 2007 season, rolled through the playoffs running over each of their opponents, while conversely the Pats, who in 2007 ended the regular season undefeated, and ended this season with 10 consecutive victories, had less than impressive play-off performances that carried over and eventual lead to their demise. Five years ago many of the experts and analysts considered the Pats the prohibitive favorite in spite of how impressive the Giants were in those play-off games. Many of those same experts cautiously approached analyzing this year's game. They were wise to hearken back to the game in 2007 and noticed some striking similarities. The gambling world held tight to keeping the Patriots as the odds on favorite to win, but this time around many smartly decided to cash their chips in with the Giants and once again they were victorious. The regular-season aside, the Giants seem to be the better team and we are left to conclude only that the regular season, as much as in our lives, doesn't matter nearly as much as what happens in the play-offs. 

For many of us our lives to this point have been much like the Giants regular-season. We have had some high points and some thrilling victories, but a lot of low points and some very bad losses to things we would have never expected to beat us. Even if you find yourself identifying more with the Patriots and you are on a real hot streak, things just seem to keep falling into the place, the regular season doesn’t matter as much as the play-offs. It doesn’t matter nearly as much how we start as it does how we finish. The Word of God tells us that every single person has done things to separate ourselves from the love of God. No one remains undefeated and that’s ok.

 It is ok to feel uncertain, ashamed, confused, sorrowful, but don’t stay there. More important than what we’ve done is what we do with the time we have left. Jesus Christ has made a way for us to finish well and to live this life victoriously. God knew that we humans would separate ourselves from him; for the first several millennia of our existence humanity was having a very rough regular season, but before we could eliminated from the post season God sent his son Jesus into the world like a wild card game and we were given one more chance to extend the season and make the playoffs. If we accept Jesus into our hearts and believe in our minds we can finish well and get reconnected to God. Don’t focus on your past, forget about whatever you may have done to this point, let Jesus into your life, put your self on the bench, let him be the quarter back and him lead your live to victory. Whatever has happened to this point is over, it really is all about how you finish.