TWOC

This Week On Campus has been quite an interesting week. Last Sunday the Evangelical Campus Ministries Association along with Unite Now presented the Night of Worship at UF for the spring semester. I'm not sure how many people can fit in the amphitheater near the Reitz Union, but it can't hold any more than were there last Sunday night. The place was packed. The worship leaders led in an amazing selection of songs, hymns and spiritual songs. The Word was read and Matt Gordon, lead pastor of Gator Christian Life presented the gospel in a very straight forward manner. There were about a dozen decisions of some type that we know of made that night. Most of the crowd of over 1200 people, my estimate so it could be way off or right on, were already believers so that wasn't too big of a surprise.

As I stood there listening and watching it dawned on me that this is a glimpse of what the community of saints will be like in heaven. There were people of various skin tones, languages, worship customs, dress, and age all singing together the praises of the one true God and His Son Jesus who had delivered them from the penalty of their sins. There were no Baptists, no Presbyterians, no Catholics, no Pentecostals, or any other denomination for that matter. Oh, they were there it's just that no one really cared to ask for denominational loyalty. There were no Americans, no Chinese, no African nationals, no Indian, or any other nationality present. There were people from many countries present, but that was not the defining characteristic for them in that place. No, there were just believers praising the Lord together for that brief moment in time. As I smiled, I couldn't help but wonder if the Lord was smiling as well as for one moment, his people were doing the right thing the right way.

This week also marked the NFL draft and saw nine Gator players selected. That is the second most in the history of the school. There were 10 selected one year but the draft was 12 rounds in those days. UF had more players selected than any other school in this year's draft with three going in the first round. Haden was a lock to go in the first round. Not bad for a kid who was a quarterback prior to arriving on the campus. The first of the Pouncey's was almost a sure thing to go in the first round as well. It's good to see if you know anything about the kid and the family at all. But the big question on that first night was whether anyone would take a chance on Tim Tebow in the first round. Jacksonville had their chance and passed. I know the Jaguars fans may be upset but it was the best thing for both parties that they didn't take Tim. If they did take Tim, he would have been expected to start right away and I don't believe he's quite ready for that given the status of their offensive line. So they would have paid big bucks to get him and then start him and watch their season struggle for the first year and then every talking head would have been saying that Tim Tebow wasn't ready to be a starting NFL QB. And they would have been right. So instead of getting a solid big time guy, the Jags take a chance on another player from Cal on the defensive line. That's why they remain the Jags my friends! So instead, the Broncos move up to select Tim and the talking heads on the four letter network go ape crazy. My favorite moment was Gruden taking Kiper down a notch over the whole Tebow issue. I am not a fan of John Gruden but for those few moments I became one. He's right, Tim is and always has been a winner and there's no reason to believe he won't be at the next level. Remember Gator fans that Tim didn't start at QB his freshman year at Florida either and that turned out all right didn't it? He will have his moments and he will get the chance to develop into a top flight NFL QB. The best thing is that the city of Denver just got better. The broncos may not be a better football team, but the city just got better by adding Tim as a part of it. The organization just got better because they have a guy who will bring incredible PR to their team. And the churches in the area just got stronger because now not only will Tim be there, but so will Bob and Pam on numerous occasions and that can only be positive for their efforts to reach their community for Christ. Once again people said he wouldn't be selected until later, that he didn't belong in the first round as a quarterback in the NFL, that he was this or that, but one day people will learn to never doubt Tim Tebow and more importantly to doubt the God he serves!