Comebacks.
Oct 28th by Jon- Tagged in:
- god,
- redemption,
- serious wednesday
I love a comeback story.
I love when someone who has fallen or stumbled picks themselves up and keeps going. I love when the underdog outreaches the distance we assumed they could reach. I love when the small nobody rises above a thousand obstacles and turns out to be a big somebody.
And I don’t think I am alone in that. This is why we all get excited about the “Cinderella Stories” during college basketball season, those teams from schools in the middle of nowhere that some how beat the giant school. It’s not nearly as exciting to see the team that should win, win. It’s not nearly as dramatic or interesting to see the seasoned professional hit the winning shot. That’s just what seasoned professionals do. The kid with the gruesome background who taught himself how to play basketball on a peach basket in his backyard? That’s a shot heard round the world.
This isn’t a new phenomenon, our desire to see comebacks. David and Goliath is the classic example of something being made out of nothing. But Youtube has opened up a whole new way to experience stories like this and I have a new favorite.
The back story is simple and chances are, you’ve already seen this wildly popular clip. Danyl, an unassuming teacher from the UK takes the stage to audition for a television show called the X-Factor. Dressed in simple clothes and with a nervousness that is palpable, he starts to sing in front of Simon Cowell, the American Idol judge. Watch this video …
I have a difficult time not being happy after watching that. That clip is like digital sunshine. From the very start of the song you can tell something special is going to happen, that there is a previously untapped reserve of talent hiding within the contestant that will soon burst out in that auditorium. And when it does, when it breaks open in the song, the people in the room can’t help but get caught up in it. From the judges that awkwardly blush with surprise to the crowd waving their hands to the family members backstage cheering them on, there is not a person in the building that doesn’t fall in love with the comeback.
We love a comeback. There is something deep and true inside us that wakes up when we come into the presence of a person who is making a comeback. But something strange happens when we are the ones in need of the comeback. Something peculiar happens when we are the ones who have fallen and broken relationships and failed in our opportunities.
We start to believe that God does not love comebacks.
We start to believe that when He sees us wallowing in our mistakes, when He looks down at our sin and grossness and wretched failure, that He wants to turn His back. We start to believe that we’ve got to fix ourselves first. We’ve got to distance ourselves from Him so that we can get our lives in order before we get close to him again. We start to believe He is not rooting for our comeback.
I think that is wrong.
I think that is a lie.
I think God is an even bigger fan of comebacks than we are.
I think God loves the comeback.
What does He do when He gets but a glimmer of a comeback in the Prodigal Son story? What does He do when a small dot of a human appears on the horizon? What does He do when the very first glimpse of a comeback comes into His view?
He sprints. He runs. He celebrates.
How does heaven react over a comeback? In Luke 15:10 Jesus tells us,
“there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
In Matthew 21:28-32 Jesus drives home the point further with a story about a father who asked his two sons to work in the vineyard. The first son told his father told his father no. The first son refused to work in the vineyard and blew it, but came back and did the work in the end. The second son said he would work in the vineyard but never did.
Jesus held up the first son as the model for us. He blew it, he messed up. He slapped his father in the face by refusing him initially. He created a need for a comeback by arrogantly refusing to work. But he came back. He came back. And Jesus highlighted that comeback by saying:
“I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.”
Don’t you love that we have a savior who tells stories where prostitutes are the heroes? Don’t you love a savior where comebacks, get to come back?
I don’t know where you are right now in your life. I don’t know what chapter is being told right now. But know this, we all need a comeback. We have all fallen short of the glory of God. And the glorious thing, the thing that makes my heart beat fast is that the feeling you felt when you watched that video of the audition. The hope and emotion that stirred up, pales in comparison to how God feels when he sees you comeback.
God loves a comeback.
Be a comeback today.
Comments
What an awesome concept. This one gets tucked away for the future when I will need it again. And again.
wow! that was the first time I'd seen that clip…
Too often I think we, Christians, are the brother in the story of the prodigal son… We serve in the house and resent the lost son when he comes back because he has it seemingly easy..
Let's not be like that in churches.. and open our arms to the comebacks! (and mybe even go out and find some to help on their way)
You gotta love the underdog. The thing about the underdog, though, is they know they have to risk it all on every play. They lose the coin toss to they have to open with an onside kick. They are in a 4th and long but go for it anyway. In the end they throw the hail mary pass. They have to go against all the norms.
I think that is why God loves them so much. When the Prodigal came back he was willing to do anything for practically nothing. He had been already. God loves it when we are like that, willing to listen and obey, go out and do some crazy stuff "normal" people wouldn't do. He wants us desperate for Him and the ones who were born in the 4th row and haven't left since usually aren't.
Nick, this is a fantastic note you made… the reason combacks are so thrilling is because of the risk, the gamble, the vulnerability that the underdog has to undergo to change the L to a W. The prodigal son had to return home in shame. The prostitutes had to humble themselves before the man who knew everything they'd done. The woman with the flow of blood knew she had to touch the Messiah, though she had been unclean and shunned for years. I can't even imagine it.
Gracias, and great examples from Jesus' ministry, especially the woman who touched the hem of His garments.
Great post. Exactly what I needed today! Thanks for all your great posts Jon!
I am so sharing this with our small group. We are just finishing up our study of The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller (you need to read it , if you haven't already – you'll love it!). This will fit nicely. Thanks so much.
Ditto that! My pastor did a series last month on The Prodigal God – great stuff!
Love it! May we all be the comeback kid!
Underdog has always been my favorite superhero. Now I know why.:D
did u liek the movie with Jim Bellushi?
Yes, I really did. While I was always fond of the cartoon, and still am, it was great seeing Underdog as a live dog.
I often find myself believing that God loves comebacks, for everyone but me. I fall for the lie that I've known Him too long to have to still need comebacks and so He must be so disappointed. From my mouth I would tell you that I'm sure He accepts me, but in some ways, if I'm honest, in my heart I believe He takes my comeback simply because that's His character, not because it delights Him to do so for me I'm not sure why we sometimes think that the further you go with Jesus, the less you should "need" His grace. We're desperately in need of it every day, start to finish, all of us. Thanks for reminding me of the truth that God is always rooting for a comeback in my life. Every time. As many times as it takes.
I love that the X Factor has made it onto your blog. I've seen that video loads but it's always good!
Before you mentioned the Prodigal Son, I was already thinking of him — oh, that we would ever remember him and how the Father ran to him. Oh, that we would remember our Father's love!
my comment was too long. :S
so i just emailed you instead jon.
thanks for this today.
I tell you what, you are a funny guy and the things you write are entertaining. But when you write your serious posts and you dig deep into yourself to lay it out there, raw and real, it is solid gold. This is good stuff, Jon Acuff.
I needed this today.
I'm coming back.
Awesome, this gets me excited just reading that last line. God Bless your comeback today
Good stuff and just the reminder I needed today.
Wait, Simon Cowell does reality TV judging?
I guess I didn't know.
Seriously though, that's a show I didn't know existed, and a great clip. I love it. (oh, and the post that it was sandwiched in between was pretty sweet too…)
Jon, I love all your posts, but your serious Wednesdays never never never leave me disappointed! Thanks for all the thought and efforts you make to write these. That video was incredible, by the way- I'll be singing that all day.
This is so fun.
I was reading the first paragraph and I thought, "That's why we love the stories about David in the Bible." Then I read the rest of your post.
How's that for connecting?
I'm surprised you didn't say anything about about all the v-necks in that video…I guess it's not appropriate for a Wednesday post.
Your words truly did echo the cry of my heart this morning. The story of the Prodigal Son never resonated with me until now. I thought that could only happen once. And yet, we come back several times in our lives (in my life) and He still rejoices over us/me as if it were the first time.
I. too, am one of those who loves a good comeback story – but never quite can get it for myself. I mean I do okay – and I know God is busy with everyone else – so I will just try to be content where I am. I think those of us who are in the "middle' – not down in the gutter but certainly not where we want to be – have a harder time believing that God is rooting for them also. I know He has so much more for me than I am utilizing. So maybe I, too, will be the "comeback kid".
Jon I think the reason why we love these type of stories so much is because we can identify with the underdog. We are the underdog, just looking for a chance, someone to take a risk on us and show others that we can do it, that if they believe in us and give us a shot we can show our talents or tell an untold story.
It is like you said at cultivate yesterday, we have to tell our own story, not someone else story, and we are the underdog trying to tell our story to anyone that will listen.
Very true. I kid my wife because she loves nobody to somebody type stories like Harry Potter or The Princess Diaries. She related because she feels like a nobody and the only way she can become a somebody is if someone comes and tells her she is special. I tell her that but it's not the same.
I am much like your wife. I need someone to come and tell me that you are worthy or that you have talent. Often I seek this out in everything I do and get caught up others approval rather than Gods. This is one of the biggest battles for me
"He sprints. He runs. He celebrates."
Love that.
Jon, I live a comeback story, big or small, with God multiple times every week. I can testify to just howmuch more grace He has to give. It’s an endless supply. And praise God for it.
This post right here (and dozens of others like it) is the reason you are being presented with a book opportunity.
Blessings.
Thank you so much for this post Jon! It's nice to be reminded that we can be comeback too, and that God is there cheering us on.
I am so thankful every day for the mercy and love of God that meets me again and again with arms wide open to greet me when I fall. One of my favorite things is getting a chance to see that same comeback story in my friends and family and the people who cross my path. I think the church has so much to gain as a whole by really trying to see each other as God sees us. Great post Jon, great reminder.
Thanks Jon. I was losing hope in my own comeback. God used you today.
This hit home. Hard. I need to rememeber to read Serious Wednesdays at home so I'm not tearing up at my desk. This is a beautiful post, full of hope, when I feel hopeless and ashamed. Great post. Thanks for continuing to share the talens God gave you to inspire us a little every day.
No parent ever jeers when their young child falls while trying to walk for the first time.
Every parent cheers when their young child simply tries to walk.
Why would our Father in heaven be any different?
- Matt Chandler
Thanks for sharing that quote. I love it!
Love. Love. Love that clip. You're right. It's digital sunshine. And just what I needed to see on this snowy day. Thanks for the reminder that God does love a comeback kid.
Thank you, Jon. I love your stuff, the snarky stuff. But this was the best post of the month.
I really needed this today. Praise God!
You know what I love most about comeback stories? It's the moment when the prodigal hits his stride in doing what he was always meant to do. The son was always meant to be with the father. When he comes home, he embraces the relationship he was meant for and everyone around bursts into celebration. This guy Danyl – he was clearly created to be a performer. When he connects with the audience, doing what he was meant to do, it's like magic. He comes alive and he wows everyone and they all celebrate. We know when we've just seen a "this is destiny" moment. We get chills.
And you know what I love about StuffChristiansLike? It's a destiny moment. Jon, you have stepped into what God created you to do, and you've embraced it, and you are shining. We get to witness you exploding into the gift God has given you, and it's a WOW thing.
Thank you for this. You don't know how much I needed to hear this today.
[...] 2) We all need a word of encouragement from time to time and this blog post was a great one for me today. Link [...]
I was just sharing with my group last night how I’ve been beating myself up because I feel like I recently missed an awesome opportunity God provided to let his love shine through me to my co-workers. I actually even said “I blew it”. And someone in my group reminded me of God’s grace. I thought about that alot this morning. Then I read your post and you said “Jesus held up the first son as the model for us. He blew it, he messed up. He slapped his father in the face by refusing him initially. He created a need for a comeback by arrogantly refusing to work. But he came back. He came back.”
Thanks Jon.
Thank you for sharing this! I was truly moved. I'm going to show it to my kids and husband when they get home this afternoon. As much as I love to laugh at the funny things you write, I always look forward to serious Wednesdays. Today is just one of those days I am touched. Thank you for being a "blogger for Jesus"! (I'm sure it isn't one of the "spiritual gifts" listed in scripture, but somehow, I think it is yours!) The gift of blogging.
Simply delicious. The end. Retweet coming presently…
Tim Challies wrote something the other day that really resonated with me…he said, and I'm paraphrasing, that God is infinitely more willing to forgive our sin than we are to commit it. So even the sins we are addicted to committing, the ones we "enjoy", that make us feel good, He's even more enthusiastic about forgiving us, about welcoming the come-back to Him, than we are about doing thw wrong thing in the first place. How awesome is our God!?
Thank you. I really needed this today. I heart serious Wednesday.
I smiled as soon as I saw the title of this post. Before I read a word the lyrics of one of the most powerful and moving songs to impact my life were reverberating through my brain again. Way back in 1993 I sat on the floor of the living room as Steve Taylor's "Squint" span for the first time. It was 'The Finish Line' that brought me undone. All kinds of crap can (and does) take me off the track, but one day, by the incredible power of grace, I will fall in his arms, at the finish line.
Thanks Jon, and thanks Steve T. Lyrics in next post as this one is too long apparently (you used to get much more space on the old blog … why don't we sing hymns any more … I don't like change …and other petty complaints that have nothing to do with our calling and purpose as Christ's church – resisting the urge to put a winky emoticon here….)
or not. apparently the whole song is too long, but if you want to check it out try Sock Heaven.
Jon,
Loved that clip. And the post. I just posted about something similar today. It seems that when we screw up, our natural instinct is to withdraw from others and from God. Especially God. But I'm finally learning to do just the opposite. To run TO God during those times, not away from Him. As you said, He doesn't expect us to get it all together before we come to Him.
Blessings,
Sandy
Blessed. This post speaks to my heart… Thank you!
This post was absolutely spot on. I saw that vid a bit ago. When it was over I felt if I had gone through that audition with him every step of the way. I think that's another reason why the average joe loves the comebacks so mcuh. We see in them someone with no special treatment, no special finances, nothing but their will and talent and it pays off. It lets us believe that it's not necessarily who you know, how much money you have, etc. that will be the only things that lead to success in life. The wonderful thing about the comebacks when it comes to God is that He doesn't care about who you know, your race, your social status or all that either. ALL can be the "comeback kid" with Him.
[...] learned yesterday that God loves comebacks as much as we [...]
So funny how we remember in theory that God is on our side, but often forget that God is on OUR side. That means ME! He's rooting for ME!
Grace's tenderhearted loving kindness leaking from every word of this post!
Brennan Manning once said to a roomful of silently weeping, grateful prodigals, 'And the father ran to him, took him in his arms and kissed him. Folks, he simply could not stop kissing him'.
J. Townsend coined, "The opposite of bad isn't good, the opposite of bad is loved".
[...] Comebacks (Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff – @prodigaljohn) [...]
praise God that my dad just made a comeback story. his, and our entire family's, life has been falling down around our ears the past week…and after 7 years of praying for him, I got to baptize him on sunday night! this post really helped me this week, thank you