Skip to main content

Swing!

Swing! Swing, my classmates kept screaming. I stood poised at home plate waiting for the pitch. Palms sweating, dread filling every part of my body, I would rather have been anywhere other than there. You see, I come from a family void of any interest in sports. Even though my extended family is huge, when we got together, sports were neither the activity or the topic of discussion. In addition to this, I have never been known for my agility, speed, or strength. So, needless to say physical education class was always a source of great anxiety and dread. Feelings of embarrassment, fear, and inadequacy were my constant companions during those school years.


On this particular day embarrassment reached a new pinnacle. In my hesitancy and dread I was paralyzed. At the time it seemed that not swinging would be preferable to swinging and missing. Oh how wrong I was! As I stood there wishing the ground would swallow me, the pitch came and unbelievably hit my stationary bat! The jeers came in a flurry. Once again I had proven that I was a total failure with anything having to do with sports. All I had to do was swing the bat, but paralyzed in fear I did nothing.


My husband, who is a serious sports fan, always says it’s better to go down swinging. For years he played baseball and softball. His greatest annoyance was people who just stood and watched pitches go by. His philosophy is “SWING” whether the pitch is perfect or not. You look like much less of a dummy at least trying then simply standing there. I wish that on that day I had swung the bat. I really had everything I needed to do so. All I had to do was move.


This regrettable moment in time came flooding back recently when I heard this phrase; “Don’t let satan have the first pitch”! So often I am like that day at bat in my spiritual life. Even though I have everything I need to combat the evil one. Even though I am victorious and not a victim thanks to the price paid by Christ. Even though I am promised that He will fight for me if I will only be courageous. Still many times I am that same thirteen year old girl again. Too often I miss opportunities to witness about my faith, to share the gospel, to minister to the hurting. Paralyzed by fear, feeling inadequate, and filled with pride that keeps me from “just doing it”, I stand there bat in hand with everything I need and let satan have the pitch.


I have to remind myself daily that it is not my strength that sustains me. That it is not my power I can depend on. That fear is of the enemy. That I have within me a power that is greater than the power of satan. I cannot, nor can you, afford to stand paralyzed. There is too much to be done, and too much at stake. As we speed toward the end of time, courage will be a quality that followers of Christ must possess. So don’t worry about looking dumb, falling on your face, or coming up short. We serve a might God who provides us with every good thing, so swing with all your might!


II Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

Joshua 1:9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord you God will be with you wherever you go.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If I'd Only Known

It seemed innocent enough.   I simply clicked on a link that a friend had posted on Facebook.   The link was about homeschooling.   Specifically, why one would be “crazy” enough to choose that option for their children?   For many reasons, the subject always interests me, but because I have a sister with nine children that she homeschools, I find it even more intriguing.   I find the whole “lots of kids, stay at home mom, homeschooling culture” fascinating.   I am in awe of these Godly parents who dedicate their lives to raising Godly children.   Yes, it fascinates me, but there is another effect that it has on me.   As I scrolled thru this site with beautiful pictures of sweet children reading under trees, working in gardens, and homes decidedly dedicated to the home school effort.   I wept.   It was totally unexpected.   I was overcome with emotion.   Now why would a sixty-year-old woman, long past chil...
1 comment
Read more

Better Than Ever

Although it sounds like an understatement, when I severely broke my ankle, it hurt.  Same thing with my wrist.  The body immediately reacts to a fractured bone.  Pain is immediate and severe.  Swelling and discoloration follow.  The bone, once whole and intact, is now damaged and misaligned.  That bone now has to be fixed and heal.   In my case both of these breaks reqired surgery complete with metal plates and screws.  The surgeries were followed by more pain, weeks in a cast, doctor's appointments to monitor the healing process, and intense physical therapy.  In addition to all that there was the annoyance and inconvenience of not being able to perform the daily tasks of living. Dependance on someone else to help with even the simplest task is not easy for me.  The good news is that now healed they tell me that those bones are stronger then ever.  Mere bone, as miraculous and complicated as it is, is now reinforced with titanium....
1 comment
Read more

Witness Protection Program

If you’ve ever watched TV you know about the witness protection program. I think it really does exist in real life, but we probably won’t ever know if any of the people that we come in contact with are in that program. Thus the reason for it. You know the deal. Someone typically has been involved in less than honorable activity. After some turn of events, which usually means that they have been caught, they agree to testify against the “big boss” in exchange for immunity and a new identity including a new location. Essentially they get a new life, a clean slate, a fresh start. It occurred to me that as a Christian my life is like being in the witness protection program with tons more benefits. We come into this world as God’s precious creation. We were created to love him and each other. He gave us his Son so that we could have access to him, forgiveness of our sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as our helper and guide. Most of us know that but for some reason or ...
Post a Comment
Read more