When I ask someone in counseling, "Have you received your exaltation yet?" people usually respond by asking what that looks like. Obviously, I can’t answer that question, because it was different, for example, for Nebuchadnezzar than it was for Jesus. I do believe that someone who has been exalted will know it and won’t have to ask what it looks like.

Our exaltation may not be granted immediately. The Scripture says it will be ours in due time. Job’s exaltation took time as God replaced his flocks and material things. We know his latter days were blessed more than his beginning days with twice as much live- stock as he had prior to his trials. Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thou- sand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys.  He also had seven sons and three daughters (Job 42:12- 13).

Jesus' exaltation was different from Job's. Jesus, hum- bled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on  earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11). Lest we protest, "But that was Jesus," God reminds us... Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus... Therefore work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:5,12). He is definitely referring to the subject of humility and exaltation as it unfolds in our experience.

Nebuchadnezzar’s exaltation came after seven years in a pasture. His understanding was returned to him, and he broke out in praise and adoration to God. This happened without medications for schizophrenia or inpatient hospital care. Next he says, for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me (Daniel 4:36).

In June of 1982, Bill McCartney was hired as the head football coach at the University of Colorado. Having served under Bo Schembechler at the University of Michigan, he seemed well-groomed to reverse the pathetic woes of the Buffaloes. Shortly after he arrived, the Buffs lost to Kansas State. The loss was an embarrassing moment for the team, because in those days no team of any significance lost to K State!

In February of '86, Coach McCartney recruited a Samoan, Sal Aunese, to quarterback the Buffaloes. By October of that year, the long-suffering CU fans were rewarded with a win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers. This kind of triumph had not happened for 20 years! But tough times were coming for the McCartney family. Bill and Lyndi’s daughter Kristi told her parents in June of 1988 that she was pregnant; the baby’s father was Sal Aunese. To add to the pain, Sal wanted nothing more to do with Kristi.

Bill and Lyndi reacted to their daughter’s pain with hurt, but also with support. Lyndi wrote an incredible letter to Sal, not condemning him, but encouraging him in his football career. Her heart reached out to Sal.

In March of 1989, the football squad was wracked with the devastating news that Sal Aunese had cancer, an incurable kind that almost always was fatal. In April, little Timothy Chase was born to Kristi. Sal wanted nothing to do with Kristi, but did want to see the baby.

In spite of all their hurt and woundedness, the McCartneys refused to reject Sal! In fact, on July 12, as Sal lay desperately ill on a hospital bed, Bill McCartney led Sal to the Lord.

The enemies of Life and Truth then went to work. Westword, a scandal paper in Denver, published an article designed to inflict great injury on the McCartneys. They showed a caricature of coach McCartney with a crown of thorns on his head. Surrounding him were four devilish creatures representing his players, mocking him. The article went on to make fun of his faith and the morals of Kristi, who was, of course, crushed by the article.

In September Sal Aunese died. Five thousand dignitaries, government officials, and students attended the memorial service in Colorado. At this service, Bill McCartney manifested once again his humility and his support for his daughter. He said, "Kristi McCartney, you’ve been a trooper. You could have had an abortion, or gone away and had the baby someplace else to avoid the shame. But you didn’t. You stayed here.

You’re gonna raise that little guy, and all of us are gonna have the opportunity to watch him. It looks like we’ve got another lefthander coming up in the ranks. Kristy, I admire you. I respect you. I love you so much." Angry letters flowed to Bill from abortion proponents. But there were also letters of support from women and young girls from around the nation, because of how he supported his daughter in her great need. Contrast McCartney’s approach with those parents who, while protecting the family pride, heaped shame and rejection on their daughters in their hour of greatest need. The McCartneys proved their humility, and God honored them.