Taking It All In

Taking It All In

After the 20–18 defeat of the Patriots in the 2015 season’s AFC Championship game, Sal Paolantonio interviewed Peyton Manning. The Denver Broncos quarterback became the oldest quarterback ever to go to a Super Bowl, surpassing his boss, John Elway, the Broncos general manager.

Manning took his time on the field that Sunday evening, seemingly soaking in the confetti, looking up to his family, and enjoying the satisfaction of the moment. The victory was even sweeter than his past successes because of the adversity Manning had faced before the game. With every pundit betting against him and siding with one of the NFL’s greatest quarterbacks of all time, Tom Brady, Manning did what he had been doing for eighteen seasons. He led his team to the conference championship.

Paolantonio asked him how satisfying a victory it was, and Manning replied, “I’m just taking it all in.” My friend, Mike Van Hoozer, in his book, Moments: Making Your Life Count for What Matters Most, calls this moment a moment of reflection, where you take time to embrace, enjoy, and engage completely in the moment.

There are many moments in the Old Testament when the people of Israel were called to celebrate and remember significant victories. Leviticus 23:41 shows us one such call to a celebration, the Feast of Tabernacles: “You must observe this festival to the LORD for seven days every year. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed in the appointed month from generation to generation.”

Taking it all in involves celebrating. The Lord made sure that Israel knew that in their celebrations, he was to be honored. Before you move on to the next battle, savor the victory by taking the moment in. Reflect and then remember to thank the Lord.

You must observe this festival to the LORD for seven days every year. This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed in the appointed month from generation to generation.

Leviticus 23:41