When I was in high school I remember one of my favorite times of the year was the start of baseball season. The grass was beginning to green and the air seemed fresher in the outfield of our high school field.

Although the conditioning part of the season wasn’t necessarily my favorite, it was still a necessary part. We would stretch, run, throw, run some more, throw again and finish with running. We did this for about two weeks before we ever touched a bat!

However, the batting eventually came. There was something special about stepping into the batter’s box for the first time each season. This is what we’d been training for. And even though there are many facets to baseball like defense, running and strategy, there is nothing like stepping up to the plate and hitting a baseball.

As I was thinking about the church this week, I couldn’t help but draw some comparisons. The individual time we spend with the Lord is our conditioning/training. We can never take that part for granted. But eventually we have to step up to the plate and take a swing for the Lord…we have to put our faith into action and serve Him as best we can.

Since our baseball season was in the spring and my dad was a farmer, he couldn’t make it to most of my games. I was an average hitter, but I remember one game my dad came to and I played “out of my head.” I went three for four, almost hit a homer and secured our win in the last inning with a catch up against the fence in left center.

That day, I didn’'t play so much for the team or for myself, but for my dad…. I wanted to make him proud.

When we step up to the plate for our Heavenly Father, I believe He is both proud and pleased. We may not always get a hit, but our obedience in serving Him is what catches His eye.

Paul writes in Philippians 4: 13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Always remember, when you step up to the plate for your Heavenly Father, you are never alone!

With Love,

Pastor Bruce