Doug Van Pelt

Don't Let This...

I picked up a copy of Live The Dream, a DVD of the Texas Longhorns' 2005 season. Check this out:

You are in the winning locker room. Millions upon millions of people just watched your Longhorns team win the National Championship, defeating a USC Trojans team that were 34-0. You win it in dramatic fashion -- scoring two touchdowns in the last six minutes. You set "dead aim" for your goal to get to the Rose Bowl. You reach that goal. Then you endeavor to "live the dream" of winning it all. Many say (like people are proned to do) that it was the "BEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME EVER," and it was amazing, epic, and fabulous. Young men and coaches are jumping up and down, celebrating something that takes an incredible amount of hard work to do. That crystal football trophy is passed around. Head coach Mack Brown steps up in the locker room and gets everyone's attention. What does he say? How do you capsulize what just happened? Here's what he said (preserved on DVD):

"Number one: I'm not gonna cry, because I expected it. I thought you were going to win. I expected you to win. I still thought we'd win when we were down by whatever it was. It was just kind of a repeat of last year's game (Rose Bowl) -- whether it was Ohio State or Michigan last year -- that's all it was. That's all it was. You did a great job. Just keep it playing. What you did is you never gave up. (applause) Matthew McConaughey said before Colorado (Big 12 Championship Game), "Get your goal." He said, "Come to Pasadena and live your dream." That's what you're doing right now. Thank you, Matthew. That's what we're doing. We're living dreams. The most important thing, regardless of how much you played, we love you very much. I don't want this to be the best thing that's ever happened in your life. When you're 54, I don't want you to say, 'Winning a football game's the best thing that ever happened in my life.' You'll have it and you'll be a champion for the rest of your life, you make sure that's one of the best sports things in your life, but you promise me, if you've got enough about ya to win a national championship, you've got enough about ya to be a great citizen and a great role model, a great father and a great leader in your family. That's what we're looking for when you get outta here."

Wow. Is that an awesome speech to make in that context, or what? To put a mountaintop experience like that in its proper perspective...what a man. What a coach. What great character.

When I blog I sometimes just say what's on my mind. It's nice to have an anecdote and tie it in to the Scripture passage I'm reading, but I don't always plan that. I had not planned it today. But in reading the one-chapter of the book of Jude, I'm impressed by Jude's message. He says:

"Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."

He goes on to talk about people betraying the faith from the inside, people who snuck in and lead people away, "who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered His people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe." He concludes with:

"But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear -- hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. To Him Who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

As sweet as the day of our salvation and conversion experience was, let us not stay there. Let us go on and mature in Christ, continuing to believe (cling to, trust in, rely on) Jesus the Messiah. As great as that moment was, there is more for us.

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at March 28, 2006 11:09 AM