“Stay on the bag! Stay where you are at”, shouted the coach to his player. The player was on a mission to reach home plate but needed guidance in getting there.
A game of baseball reflects the game of life we are all in.
We have a Coach.
Jesus knows the game of life we are in. He knows which plays are wise and which ones are not. His desire is to train us, give us direction, and watch us succeed. We must know, trust, and listen to His voice.
We have team mates.
Team mates train, practice, win, lose, celebrate, and work together. A team is a group rather than an individual. It takes everyone working together and being united for a victory to take place.
We only have a certain amount of time in the game of life.
When the game of life is over, we can’t change the end result. We have to make the most of the time we have been given. We have to train and prepare even when it’s uncomfortable. Our ears must be tuned into hearing our Coach’s voice. He gives us clues on what to do and where to go next. Through hard times and practice, we become better. We must not give up. Our team needs us, and our goal is to slide across the ultimate home plate with the victory.
We have a crowd watching us.
The crowd watching us is made up of opponents and supporters. Our opponents are equally (if not more) prepared than we are to win. They have a coach as well but a different game plan. Their bleachers are full of an audience cheering them on. They want to win just as bad as we do.
Our bleachers are full of family, friends, and loved ones. They see our game of life in a different perspective than we do. They are older and wiser than we are. They support us, share in our joy, and remind us that our work is important.
We have many voices shouting at us.
While on the field and playing the game, there are many voices shouting different comments at us. We must ignore the voices behind us and focus on the Voice of our Coach in front of us.
Fellow team mate, your Coach hasn’t given up on you. Even if you have missed some practices, God is still longing to teach you new things. Practice and discipline may be rough, but it is making you into a stronger player. There’s a purpose for you being placed on the team you’re on. Keep showing up to practice and keep working hard. Continue to listen for your Coach’s voice. God loves you with an unending love. He chases after you when you’re lost and confused. He is proud to call you His child. God has plans to prosper you. He has His best in store for your life. Keep being faithful. Let’s give this game of life all we have and cross home plate with the victory.
Undeniably His 