The 153 Fish Wake-Up Call Series

Can you feel it in the air? That subtle shift as summer fades into fall? Me either. But somehow every single store in all of existence seems to feel it as they’re already putting out Christmas decorations. I think by next year we’re going to see combo-fireworks stands selling candy canes and Christmas ornaments. It’s a missed business opportunity, I’m telling you. But for many of us, this time of year brings a sense of transition, doesn’t it? Maybe you’re a parent and you’ve been in the thick of the back-to-school chaos. Buying school supplies, figuring out new schedules, and trying to wrap your mind around how your kids grew three inches over the summer. I mean, seriously – what are they feeding them? And why didn’t it work for me? Some of you might be gearing up for what always seems to be the busiest quarter of the year. New projects, looming deadlines, year-end goals to meet. I see some of you nodding – you know exactly what I’m talking about! It's that time when your coffee maker becomes your best friend and most trusted confidant. "Oh Keurig, you're the only one who truly understands me."

Whatever your situation, there's something about this time of year that speaks of new beginnings, of fresh starts. It's like we all collectively take a deep breath, look at our lives, and think, "okay, what's next? How can I do better? What needs to change?" personally, I love this time of year because it's like making new year's resolutions, but without the guilt of breaking them by January 2nd. And you know what? That's exactly what we're going to be talking about over the next two weeks in our new series, "getting back at it." we're going to explore what it means to prioritize our relationship with Christ, especially when life gets busy and complicated. Because let's face it -- it's all too easy to let our spiritual lives take a backseat when everything else seems to be demanding our attention, isn't it? We start treating our prayer time like that gym membership we bought in January -- we know it's good for us, but somehow, we just never quite get around to it. But here's the thing -- our relationship with Jesus isn't just another item on our to-do list, sandwiched between "buy milk" and "fix that weird noise the car is making." it's the foundation that everything else in our live should be built upon. And sometimes, we need a little reminder of that. Sometimes, we need to intentionally "get back at it" in our walk with God.

To kick things off, I want to share a story about someone who knew a thing or two about comebacks, about getting back at it when everyone thought he was done. I'm talking about Michael Jordan. And yes, despite what some of you are thinking, I am old enough to remember Michael Jordan – and watching him live on tv.

Michael Jordan’s return to Basketball

Now, for those of you who might not be big sports fans – I’m not going to put you down or anything – instead I’ll just set the stage. Regardless of what you might think, Michael Jordan isn't just a basketball player – he's the basketball player. He's to basketball what cheese is to pizza, what coffee is to Monday mornings.

By 1993 Jordan had:

Led the Chicago bulls to three consecutive NBA championships (’91, ’92, ’93)

Been named NBA finals MVP in all three of those championship runs

Won seven consecutive scoring titles (’87-93), averaging over 30 points per game each season

Been named the league MVP three times (’88, ’91, ’92)

Made the all-star team in every full season he played (9 times by 1993)

Won two Olympic gold medals (1984 and 1992 as part of the “dream team”)

Has the record for the highest season scoring average in NBA history for the last 37 years (37.1 points per game in 86-87)

And get this: in the 1992-93 season, Jordan led the league in scoring with 32.6 points per game, and then cranked it up to 35.1 points per game in the playoffs, leading the bulls to their third straight championship. The man was like a video game character with all the stats cranked up to perfect. But in October of 1993, Jordan did something that shocked the world. At the absolute peak of his career, he retired. Can you imagine that?

It would be like if... Well, it's hard to even think of a parallel. It would be like if Gordon Ramsay hung up his chef’s jacket to become a mime. Picture him silently mouthing “where’s the lamb sauce?” In the middle of a park. It was that level of unexpected. And so, for almost two years, Jordan pursued a new career, playing baseball in the minor league. And let's be honest, he wasn't exactly setting the baseball world on fire. It was like watching a fish try to climb a tree – impressive effort, but…“meh” results. But then, on March 18, 1995, Jordan made a simple announcement that sent shockwaves through the sports world.