Issue 1354 – Home Run – January 26, 2024

I used to coach baseball for kids. I coached house league  (anyone can play) and AA-level rep ball (more select players and competitive teams). Typically, the kids were a lot of fun. The parents, on the other hand, were a mixed blessing. 

Some years, the parents were great, and in other years, I was certain that they were personal friends of the devil himself. Some of the parents were very supportive, and I will always be grateful for that.

Some others couldn’t be pleased no matter what you did. Many couldn’t understand that at the ages of 8-12 most of their children were not going to make the big leagues (or even the local rep team). Often parents wanted to live vicariously through their children’s sports.

It was always a challenge to balance the win at all costs group with the let’s just have fun group. Some parents were thrilled if their kids got to play at all. Others complained even if their kids played every inning, they felt their child would have been better utilized in another position than I had them playing. I always worked hard to make sure everyone on the team got equal playing time wherever possible.

The players were always a mixed bag. Some had experience, others had never thrown a ball before. Some were there because they wanted to play, and others were there because their parents thought it was “good for them” to be in sports or simply because the parents wanted a couple of hours of babysitting.

There was a great deal of pleasure in seeing a child go from being afraid of the ball to being able to catch it and hit it. If a kid got a hit and was safely on base, they were thrilled. At the younger ages, if they managed to work their way around the bases and get safely home, it was as good as a home run.

As the kids got older, the occasional home run became a reality, and in some age groups, it became a regular thing. It was funny to watch them run the bases after a home run. Some ran the bases as fast as they could, others, savoured their moment a little more and ran slowly as they showed off the results of their hitting prowess.

Baseball is a funny game. If you knock the ball out of the park, it’s a home run. No one can put the batter out, and the run is awarded. The run isn’t in doubt, but the batter must still do the run around the bases. A home run isn’t a shortcut, they still have to run and touch all the bases.

Actually, a home run is a good analogy for our Christian faith walk. All believers are, by God’s grace, home run hitters. You see, once we’ve accepted Jesus, we’re saved and have our gate pass to be with Jesus. Yet we’re not instantly taken into heaven. He still has things for us to do, and we still have to persevere. We still have bases to run. 

The Scriptures emphasize both our victory and our need to persevere

Once we have Jesus, we have overcome the world.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 1 John 5:1-5

We’ve won, but we still have to finish the game.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 

The next time life throws you a curve ball, or you foul out, hang in there. With Jesus, it’s going to be a home run in the long run.

Be blessed

Hallelu Yah / Praise God 

Kevin

Gleanings From The Word

Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life. 

Soli Deo Gloria (For the Glory of God alone)

__________________________________________ 

Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment. 

Did you know that we have an email version? It has the same great content but in a different format. Subscribe today https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/gleanings-1 

______________________________ 

All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2024 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, Gleanings From The Word.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV). 

___________________________________________

#Baseball #homeRun #hope #encouragement #Biblestudy #faith #dailyBible #verseoftheday #grace #god #HolySpirit #theology #blessing #BibleReading # #biblestudy #bible #bibleVerse #jesus #christian #god #faith #jesuschrist #godisgood #scripture#love #prayer #church #truth #trending