Are We Fourth Quarter Christians?

On today’s front page of USA Today, evangelical Christian Tim Tebow is proclaimed a “one-man cultural blitz.” His miraculous overtime win against the Steelers has put him front and center of the whole world. Throwing 316 yards added to the mystique (John 3:16 in the top 3 Google ‘searches’ of the day). But the uniquely amazing thing about Tim Tebow’s ‘game’ is when he wins: in the 4th quarter and in overtime.

The spiritual analogies are exploding in my brain like popcorn. But this “fourth-quarter/overtime” winning phenomenon is shouting for attention. A survey of God’s men of faith reveals they were “4th quarter” winners. Moses’ faith was rewarded in the 4th quarter parting of the Red Sea ; Abraham received God’s overtime promise when there was no possibility of natural conception; Daniel astonished the king with an overtime deliverance from hungry lions.

On the other end of faith, however, was King Saul, an impatient man who lost in the 4th quarter. Unwilling to wait until Samuel arrived, he gave in to the fear of man, losing not only Samuel’s blessing but the kingdom itself. My friends, does it feel you like you are in the 4th quarter? Moreover, are we not all living in the 4th quarter of Time? Do we have 4th quarter faith? Could this need for 4th quarter faith be what Jesus spoke of when he asked, “when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8)