When The Ball Goes Foul

A sign adorns a local church near our home, announcing a new sermon series. "When Life Throws You Curve Balls" Wanna know my first response .... Hit it out of the park.

Seriously, I've been digging into the ultimate playbook and no where can I find that we are supposed to accept defeat, dismay, striking out in life, or any such lot. Yes I know that sometimes the world pitches junk at us, but we have an umpire calling those nasty balls for what they really are. He knows the good stuff. He tells us how to live it, how to hit every ball out of the park, no matter what is pitched at us. And how to run the bases all the way home.

God already secured our victory, He sent His Son to step up to the plate for us. It looked like He struck out big time, nailing him to the wooden posts for all to see. Little did they know, He was playing the final game, the World Series, not simple backyard baseball. He won for all of us. Handing us the victory in ever situation, every game, every pitch we could encounter in life.

I've been learning some things, watching my little boys play baseball on a little league team for the first time. They rocked the baseball world. They believed they would. We can do the same if only we would believe that greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.

You can never strike out with a foul ball. Keep hitting, over and over, getting just a piece of it. You get another shot at the ball. How many times have I given up. Stepped away from the batter box because I felt like I was defeated. No more. I'm swinging, getting a piece of it each time. Eventually I will hit it out of the park, and until then I'm will not be defeated and I will not quit.

How you practice is how you'll play the game. During the intense times, what is in you will come out. It's not the situation that made you oops. During the practice times, get filled up with the good stuff, get rid of the junk. And when the game is on the line, you'll be ready.

When a ball flies at your head, be sure you're wearing the right gear. Watching my 6 year old suit up, ugh. So thankful the gear protected him from thrown bats, missed pitches. Naive me goes about my day without suiting up and protecting myself from the fast balls of life, aimed right at me. Putting on my armor, dusting it off, using it, and sharpening my sword by knowing the Word, enables me to stand strong in this game of life.

No matter how young or inexperienced, play your game anyway. Some, walking with Jesus for quite a while, some just starting on the trek. It doesn't matter. We all have the same victory in our daily life as we do the Word. My oldest, began his first season. His team filled with seasoned boys (5 years experience). He played his game. Listened, watched, learned. He made the All Star Team this year, chosen as one of the best. Don't let your age, your years with God, anything hold you back from playing your game. God has great plans to prosper you and give you a good future.

So dust off home plate. Get in your batters stance. Swing for the fences ... I'll be cheering you on as you run the bases.