“Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.” (Hebrews 12:2 The Message Bible)
At a major league baseball park, there is a dispute at home plate involving a player who had just slid in hoping to score. As he was sliding, he was maneuvering his body in a such a way that his slide was marveled by the massive crowd of fans in the stands. He had touched the plate in what one might call a miraculous move to avoid the opposing team’s catcher’s diving attempt to tag him out. The catcher, to his credit, followed through and tagged the runner anyway, hoping for a call in his favor. To the runner, that meant nothing, at the time. He jumped up in a celebratory way, assuming he had scored on an inside the park home run. The celebration was short, as the thunderous voice of the umpire topped the ear-splitting cheers from the stands. From the front row seats all the way to the nose bleed seats, you could hear the umpire say, “You’re out!” Now you understand the dispute. The player who had swung well, ran well with spectacular speed, and slid in with a move that made onlookers think of the premier sports channel’s opening music, “Da da-da! da-da-da!” Surely he was going to make the top ten plays. Well that was the consensus feeling of the crowd. But again, the umpire had called the player out based on the rules of the game.
You can picture the dispute, player and umpire yelling at each other, face to face.no masks required and there definitely no requisite for social distancing. Only two lovers kissing would beat how close the player and the umpire were. Immediately the runner’s manager comes to intercede, insisting that for an explanation. The umpire is joined by the umpire in the field who find his way to the site of the fussing and he explains what happened. “He did not touch second base. The catcher tagged him. Therefore, the runner is out!” He elaborated with a final point, “This what happens when you don’t touch all the bases!” To emphasize the point, he pulled out a tattered baseball rule book out of his pocket and turned to the page, automatically, where the rule was written.
Let’s move this from the stadium to our spiritual journey today. Let’s move from the diamond to your discipleship as a definite believer and devoted follower of Christ. Today, make sure you touch all the bases. Start at first base and pray. Proceed to second base, where you touch the word of God before proceeding to third base where you solidify your commitment to run on for the Lord, regardless of any situation you will face. Make sure you touch second base now! Run on to third, staying on the narrow base path of righteousness. Keep running with your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of your faith. He’s your forerunner and He knows all about running the bases. After touching third base, head toward home plate. Keep your eye on your destiny and your purpose! Touch home plate and, with the help of divine intervention, miraculously avoid the catcher’s attempt to tag you out. The catcher might be named “Temptation” or “Trouble” or “Test” or “Turbulent Times.” But whatever his name may be, you avoid his tag with every move you can make, twisting and contorting every spiritual muscle in your being, and score one for your team, parenthetically named the “Followers of Christ.” Don’t give the umpire any reason to call you out. Hear the voice of the many witnesses surrounding you.
Every time you go up “to bat” today, figuratively speaking, as you will be facing Satan, the secular world, and the seduction of your own flesh. Therefore, repeat the process described above. Run with endurance on each occasion and every circumstance when you step up to “the plate.” And remember, touch all the bases! Have a terrific game, er I mean, “Have a great day!” Apply the ancient running the race terminology used by the writer of Hebrews to my baseball analogy as you go through the day touching all the bases! Stay God-conscious and Christ centered…in thought and deed! Be blessed!
“Do you see what this means – all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running – and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins.” (Hebrews 12:1 The Message Bible)
Mark L. King