I have yet to catch a foul ball at a baseball game, but one leisurely afternoon I did catch something that resembled a baseball. It happened between the fifth and sixth innings at Colorado Springs’ Sky Sox Park, the world’s highest professional baseball park. Sky Sox staffers had carried tightly rolled T-shirts and giant slingshots onto the field and assumed a launching position between home plate and the pitcher’s mound. Zap, Zing! A missile flew swiftly toward me. I reached up and grabbed it. (No, the Sky Sox didn’t offer me an outfielder’s contract.)
I unfurled the wadded T-shirt and read its message: “Memorial Hospital. We hear. We heal. We care.” What a good motto for a hospital, I thought.
Jesus’ earthly ministry was one of hearing, healing, and caring. He heard the desperate cries of sin-oppressed, poor, physically challenged, and outcast men and women. He provided both physical and spiritual healing for those who believed. He cared about everyone. He lifted burdens, met needs, forgave sins, turned sadness to joy, and instilled hope in those who despaired.
Jesus still cares. He hears our simple calls for help, meets our needs, and makes life worth living.
—By Jim Dyet
© 2007, Anchor, Haven Ministries
Showing posts with label Bible Christianity devotional baseball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bible Christianity devotional baseball. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, August 7, 2008
A Slingshot and a Care Message
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
I have yet to catch a foul ball at a baseball game, but one leisurely afternoon I did catch something that resembled a baseball. It happened between the fifth and sixth innings at Colorado Springs’ Sky Sox Park, the world’s highest professional baseball park. Sky Sox staffers had carried tightly rolled T-shirts and giant slingshots onto the field and assumed a launching position between home plate and the pitcher’s mound. Zap, Zing! A missile flew swiftly toward me. I reached up and grabbed it. (No, the Sky Sox didn’t offer me an outfielder’s contract.)
I unfurled the wadded T-shirt and read its message: “Memorial Hospital. We hear. We heal. We care.” What a good motto for a hospital, I thought.
Jesus’ earthly ministry was one of hearing, healing, and caring. He heard the desperate cries of sin-oppressed, poor, physically challenged, and outcast men and women. He provided both physical and spiritual healing for those who believed. He cared about everyone. He lifted burdens, met needs, forgave sins, turned sadness to joy, and instilled hope in those who despaired.
Jesus still cares. He hears our simple calls for help, meets our needs, and makes life worth living.
I have yet to catch a foul ball at a baseball game, but one leisurely afternoon I did catch something that resembled a baseball. It happened between the fifth and sixth innings at Colorado Springs’ Sky Sox Park, the world’s highest professional baseball park. Sky Sox staffers had carried tightly rolled T-shirts and giant slingshots onto the field and assumed a launching position between home plate and the pitcher’s mound. Zap, Zing! A missile flew swiftly toward me. I reached up and grabbed it. (No, the Sky Sox didn’t offer me an outfielder’s contract.)
I unfurled the wadded T-shirt and read its message: “Memorial Hospital. We hear. We heal. We care.” What a good motto for a hospital, I thought.
Jesus’ earthly ministry was one of hearing, healing, and caring. He heard the desperate cries of sin-oppressed, poor, physically challenged, and outcast men and women. He provided both physical and spiritual healing for those who believed. He cared about everyone. He lifted burdens, met needs, forgave sins, turned sadness to joy, and instilled hope in those who despaired.
Jesus still cares. He hears our simple calls for help, meets our needs, and makes life worth living.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
2008 All Star Game
The 2008 All Star Game is history. It was a cliffhanger that ended with the American League winning its eleventh straight All Star Game. Not the best news for us National League Rockies fans.
The pregame gathering of Hall of Famers caught my attention. Among the notables were Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, Bill Mazeroski, Ernie Banks, George Brett, Whitey Ford, and the venerable Yogi Berra. It was apparent these baseball greats and their Hall of Fame peers had aged. But then, so have I.
Hebrews 11 lists some members of God’s hall of faith. I expect to meet them in Heaven someday. As I age, I hope to do so gracefully with daily increments of faith. And when all is said and done, baseball is just a game, whereas faith and Christian service impact eternity.
The pregame gathering of Hall of Famers caught my attention. Among the notables were Reggie Jackson, Hank Aaron, Rollie Fingers, Bill Mazeroski, Ernie Banks, George Brett, Whitey Ford, and the venerable Yogi Berra. It was apparent these baseball greats and their Hall of Fame peers had aged. But then, so have I.
Hebrews 11 lists some members of God’s hall of faith. I expect to meet them in Heaven someday. As I age, I hope to do so gracefully with daily increments of faith. And when all is said and done, baseball is just a game, whereas faith and Christian service impact eternity.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Wait until Next Year!
“Wait until next year!”
I suppose Rockies’ fans have been mouthing these words since last night’s decisive loss to the Red Sox. However, no words compensate for the agony of being swept in a World Series showdown. It is almost inexplicable to account for four losses in a row in the World Series by a team that had previously won 21 out of 22 games. We can chalk up the disaster only to the Red Sox’s better pitching and better batting.
It’s time to move on. The Broncos are playing today on Monday Night Football.
Disappointment often punctures a perfectly good day or series of days, and deflates our hopes—and sometimes our sense of self-worth. Second Kings 19 depicts the prophet Elijah as so disappointed in himself that he asked the Lord to take away his life. He had previously championed God’s cause and restored a nation’s faith by exposing the futility of Baal worship and spotlighting the power of the true God. But this event had infuriated sadistic Queen Jezebel, who had imported Baal worship to Israel. She immediately put a contract on Elijah, predicting he would be dead in 24 hours. That’s when Elijah’s faith took a hike; and so did Elijah. He fled the country, continued through Judah to the south, sat down exhausted and depressed under a broom tree in the desert, where he prayed for a quick end to his life.
But God doesn’t give up on His people, even when we give up on ourselves. He revealed Himself to Elijah in a “still, small voice,” and gave him new assignments. Disappointments may be ideal times to anticipate His appointments. When we are at the end of ourselves, we can see new beginnings. Elijah left his one-man pity party in the desert and embraced new opportunities to serve God.
The fact that we are still breathing proves God hasn’t given up on us. We can serve Him today. We don’t have to mope around and wait until next year for another opportunity to serve Him.
I suppose Rockies’ fans have been mouthing these words since last night’s decisive loss to the Red Sox. However, no words compensate for the agony of being swept in a World Series showdown. It is almost inexplicable to account for four losses in a row in the World Series by a team that had previously won 21 out of 22 games. We can chalk up the disaster only to the Red Sox’s better pitching and better batting.
It’s time to move on. The Broncos are playing today on Monday Night Football.
Disappointment often punctures a perfectly good day or series of days, and deflates our hopes—and sometimes our sense of self-worth. Second Kings 19 depicts the prophet Elijah as so disappointed in himself that he asked the Lord to take away his life. He had previously championed God’s cause and restored a nation’s faith by exposing the futility of Baal worship and spotlighting the power of the true God. But this event had infuriated sadistic Queen Jezebel, who had imported Baal worship to Israel. She immediately put a contract on Elijah, predicting he would be dead in 24 hours. That’s when Elijah’s faith took a hike; and so did Elijah. He fled the country, continued through Judah to the south, sat down exhausted and depressed under a broom tree in the desert, where he prayed for a quick end to his life.
But God doesn’t give up on His people, even when we give up on ourselves. He revealed Himself to Elijah in a “still, small voice,” and gave him new assignments. Disappointments may be ideal times to anticipate His appointments. When we are at the end of ourselves, we can see new beginnings. Elijah left his one-man pity party in the desert and embraced new opportunities to serve God.
The fact that we are still breathing proves God hasn’t given up on us. We can serve Him today. We don’t have to mope around and wait until next year for another opportunity to serve Him.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Fans or Fanatics?
The Rockies won again last night. It was their twentieth win in twenty-one games. Fantastic!
That word “fantastic” brings to mind two similar words, “fans” and “fanatics.” The first is usually applied to sports devotees, the second to Christians. Perhaps the application fits as well as a left shoe fits a right foot and a right shoe fits a left foot. After viewing the Rockies game last night from the comfort of home, I believe those who attended the game are fanatics. Christians are not fanatics.
The Rockies’ faithful sat in cold rain for almost four hours, having paid premium prices for the “privilege.” The temperature dipped into the 30s. When was the last time Christians sat in cold rain for about four hours free of charge to worship and/or listen to Bible teachers? Never?
One June day I sat outside the Billy Sunday Tabernacle at Winona Lake, Indiana, and listened to a Bible teacher expound Scripture. When dark clouds poured rain on the audience, most people ran for cover. Because the outdoor service was being broadcast, the speaker had to dig in and keep expounding. I stayed, but hardly anyone else did.
So chuck the word “fanatics” from your vocabulary when you refer to Christians. While you’re at it, discard the word “fans” too. Who wants to be known as one of Jesus’ fans? I prefer the term, “faithful follower.” It marks the believer as someone who is loyal to Jesus and committed to the lifelong pursuit of walking in His steps.
Let’s relegate the word “fans” to the world of sports and the word “fanatics” to the world of loonies. Faithful followers of Jesus do not live by their emotions, nor do they simply put Jesus in a celebrity role. He is Lord and Master.
“’Come, follow me,’” Jesus said” (Matthew 4:19.
That word “fantastic” brings to mind two similar words, “fans” and “fanatics.” The first is usually applied to sports devotees, the second to Christians. Perhaps the application fits as well as a left shoe fits a right foot and a right shoe fits a left foot. After viewing the Rockies game last night from the comfort of home, I believe those who attended the game are fanatics. Christians are not fanatics.
The Rockies’ faithful sat in cold rain for almost four hours, having paid premium prices for the “privilege.” The temperature dipped into the 30s. When was the last time Christians sat in cold rain for about four hours free of charge to worship and/or listen to Bible teachers? Never?
One June day I sat outside the Billy Sunday Tabernacle at Winona Lake, Indiana, and listened to a Bible teacher expound Scripture. When dark clouds poured rain on the audience, most people ran for cover. Because the outdoor service was being broadcast, the speaker had to dig in and keep expounding. I stayed, but hardly anyone else did.
So chuck the word “fanatics” from your vocabulary when you refer to Christians. While you’re at it, discard the word “fans” too. Who wants to be known as one of Jesus’ fans? I prefer the term, “faithful follower.” It marks the believer as someone who is loyal to Jesus and committed to the lifelong pursuit of walking in His steps.
Let’s relegate the word “fans” to the world of sports and the word “fanatics” to the world of loonies. Faithful followers of Jesus do not live by their emotions, nor do they simply put Jesus in a celebrity role. He is Lord and Master.
“’Come, follow me,’” Jesus said” (Matthew 4:19.
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