You know why the Tiger and the Lion are celebrated as kings in their respective realms? Want to know what the Tiger King has in common with the Lion King? They each staged remarkable comebacks. Against all odds, they overcame seemingly overwhelming circumstances, to achieve ultimate triumph. That, we can learn from them!
The Tiger King: After long years of setbacks, on Palm Sunday, April 14, 2019, Tiger Woods regained his title by winning the Masters, the most important of all annual golf tournaments. The last time he had won the Masters was 2005. For 14 long years he suffered setback after setback—some self-inflicted and others afflicted by circumstances beyond his control. But that Sunday, the world celebrated Tiger’s dramatic victory as one of “the greatest sports comebacks of all time,” and hailed him as the “Comeback King.” One sportswriter referred to his victory as “Tiger’s redemption story.” Others used terms like “Game-changing,” “Tiger Effect, 2.0,” and “Happy ending” to describe the Tiger King.
The Lion King: Did you know that on another Sunday some 2,000 years ago, when the world needed the reality of a Redemption Story, it was a Lion that stepped in? “The Lion from the tribe of Judah” was the One who staged the greatest comeback ever—the comeback from the dead. Earlier, when He cried “it is finished,” His enemies thought they had finished Him, and even most of His friends thought He was finished: A humiliating death; a mangled & bruised body; locked up in the prison of a grave, sealed shut with a huge rock and fiercely guarded by soldiers. But, against all odds He came back! Defeating death—and triumphing over all principalities and powers! Not just the “Comeback King,” He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Old Testament prophet Haggai calls Him “The Desire of All Nations.” The author of my favorite devotional commentary on Christ’s life calls Him “The Desire of Ages.” But I see Him as “The Comeback of Ages.”
His Comeback Is Your Comeback: The greatest contest of all time is not golf, nor any other sporting event, but a cosmic conflict—the great controversy—between good and evil, love and hatred, truth and falsehood, right and wrong. And in this cosmic conflict, Christ has prevailed. The Resurrection comeback is not an event, but a Person. We celebrate not the rising of a sports star or sun, but the Resurrection of the Son of God. Because of His incredible comeback, you can also come back from the 5D’s of life: Defeats, Disappointments, Doubts, Despairs, and, the most crushing of all, Death.
Do you need a comeback? Don’t despair, don’t give up, don’t quit. We serve “The Comeback of Ages.” He alone lived without stain or blemish, conquered death, and ascended on high to be our Advocate. All power is in His hands, and one day soon, the Comeback King will come back for us and take us Home. In Him, we are “more than conquerors.” So, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed” (Revelation 5:5; Romans 8:37-39; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-57). However seemingly insurmountable your circumstances, cling to The Comeback of Ages: Jesus Christ our Lord. He can give you your comeback.—Samuel Koranteng-Pipim
[NOTE: This thought nugget is dedicated to the memory of the late Mister Isaac Kweku Annan (1933-2019), a US-based Ghanaian musician, educationist, natural linguist, and sportsman. He loved the youth and was a stalwart in the overseas Ghanaian Seventh-day Adventist churches. His burial took place today, Sunday, April 28, 2019, at the Rosehill Cemetery, in Berrien Springs, Michigan.]
© Samuel Koranteng-Pipim: Permission is granted to share thought nuggets from this website provided they are reproduced in full and are for non-commercial use only. Pertinent quotes can also be excerpted from the nuggets and shared with others. Users of both nuggets and/or quotes must acknowledge Samuel Koranteng-Pipim as the author and give the appropriate EAGLESonline link as the source.
SAMUEL KORANTENG-PIPIM,PH.D. , is a US-based Ghanaian author, inspirational speaker, leadership trainer, and an advocate for youth empowerment. He was trained in engineering and systematic theology, and has authored more than twenty books. They include his bestselling works Hope Through the Dark, Six More Chances, Healed Wounds but Ugly Scars, and Patience in the Midst of Trials and Afflictions. Dr. Pipim currently directs two Centers for Leadership Development known as EAGLES (Empowerment & Advisory Group for Leadership, Excellence, & Service) and ANANSE (African Network & Advisory for Needed Services & Excellence). www.EAGLESonline.org. He also serves as a special consultant on Bible projects for Remnant Publications. 