I Made It

The familiar statement, "I Made It ", is a statement that implies achievement in the midst of overwhelming odds. It is a proclamation of accomplishment for someone who has had the deck stacked against him. Its a way of saying that, "In spite of the length of the journey; in spite of the roughness of the road and in spite of the many stumbling blocks which have been thrown in my way, I have overcome and I have reached my goal!¨

Now, we must note that the statement, "I Made It," does not refer to an ultimate goal, nor does it refer to a permanent victory.

As long as we are citizens of this world, and as long as we are housed in these mortal bodies, every achievement is temporary and every victory is short-lived; the celebration only lasts for a little while, and in many instances, it is only the prelude to another struggle. Yet, in the words of the songwriter, we are encouraged that Each victory will help you, some other to win." So even though the statement, I Made it¨, isnt permanent for mortal beings, it contains an element of encouragement which says to us that the same Grace which brought us thus far on our journey can be trusted to lead us all the way home.

It must also be noted that there is a vast difference between saying "I Made It" and saying "I've Got It Made¨. You see,I've got it made¨ is an statement of self-sufficiency and arrogance, while I Made It¨ is an statement of humble jubilation. I've Got it Made¨ is a statement of over-confidence and cockiness, while I Made It¨ is an statement of joy and relief. When a person says I've got it made¨, he isnt going any further. He acknowledges that he is already AT THE TOP. And when youre at the top, theres only one way to go from there.. DOWN. When a person-says, I've got it made, for all practical purposes, he is dead in his area of achievement. There are no more milestones, no more achievements, no more improvements, and no more accomplishments.

The Israelites who lived during the days of the prophet Amos felt that because of their strategic location, their economic prosperity, and their military might, they had it made, but their self-sufficient confidence was shattered by the words of the country preacher who thundered, "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion , and trust in the mountain of Samaria "

Belshazzar felt that he had it made one day. He got so cocky that he took the gold and silver vessels which had been in the Temple at Jerusalem and used them for one of his elaborate drinking parties, but when the festivities got into high gear, he and his guests were frightened almost out of their senses by a hand out of nowhere, writing on the wall.

The rich fool spoken of in the 12th Chapter of Luke, thought that he had it made, when he tore down his small barns, built larger ones and stored away all of his surplus grain. He was so confident that he said, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up many years; take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry." But we all know that shortly after reciting that selfish and conceited soliloquy, God said to him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee."

So we should be careful about saying that we have it made. Nobody has it made until he crosses over chilly Jordan and sets foot in the Promised Land.

But the statement, I Made It¨, is just a brief reflection of a journey over some territory that has been covered; its a celebration of a victory over adverse circumstances, however temporary. Let me give you a few examples of a person who is justified in participating in the I Made It¨ celebration.

When parents work hard and make great sacrifices to educate their children, and when they attend a Commencement Exercise and see their child walk across the stage and receive that diploma, they can say, 'I Made It."

When a man struggles for many years trying to pay for a home and he finally makes that last payment he can say, Hallelujah, I Made it."

When a widowed mother, or any mother who has had to rear a child without a husband and has maintained her decency and has kept high moral standards , despite the many temptations to do otherwise, sees her child receive some high honor or be appointed to some prestigious position, she can say, "Thank God, I made it."

When loyal and dedicated church members have achieved success in some ministry or some project that others predicted would fail, they can say, "Praise the Lord, we made it."