‘Don’t retire Tim!’ boomed a voice from behind me as the ‘C’mon Tims’ died down and the Tiger prepared to serve; victory in sight 

Henman ended his tennis career on 22nd September 2007. A classic roller-coaster ride right up until a cross-court forehand secured the match.
Tim’s Davis Cup doubles win with Jamie Murray against Croatia brought Great Britain the respectability of being back in the World Group.
‘To play in this environment and that atmosphere and then to finish it off the way we did was absolutely perfect. I’m unbelievably proud of the way I played.’
It must be amazing to be a world class tennis player! Yet for all the skill, fitness and excitement – essentially it’s about hitting a ball across a net, day in and day out.
Despite all the sweat and tears to stay in the world ‘top ten’ for ten years, Henman’s career can be summed up in a few statistics. Unfortunately it will probably be remembered for what he didn’t achieve, and then soon be forgotten.
Few of us will break into any realm of world ‘top ten.’ I wonder, though, as we come into a new year, how you reflect back on your achievements?
The apostle Paul thought at one time that more than any other person, he had reasons to be proud: his ancestral roots, his law-keeping, his zeal for God. Perhaps he looked in the mirror and thought, ‘you’re great’; heard others look up at him and say, ‘you’re great’; and thought that God would look at him and say, ‘you’re great’. But that was before he met Jesus Christ.
Now in prison for Christ, he totals up everything to a grand nothing in fact to a minus score of ‘loss’:
‘Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.’ [Philippians 3 v 7-8 ]
Henman had a win-loss record of 496-278. Paul it seems would have put it all in the loss column.
Why does Paul say that to know Christ as Lord is so much greater than anything else? Paul found his joy for this life ... in Christ, and his only hope in death ... in Christ.
God’s love in Jesus is the great leveller. In death it will be a case of ‘not what you know but who you know’.
That is –

By Rebekah Pascall
of London City Mission