Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ by grace you have been saved.
You ask, how can you lose a game where you allowed no hits? Well, first you walk two batters;
walks don't count as hits. Next you have three teammates make errors. Errors put men on base
but are not counted as hits against the pitcher's record.
The result of all this is that the pitcher's results that day in the record-book look far better than his
results on the stadium scoreboard.
That bears a funny similarity to real life. Some of us look very good in our own score books
because we choose what things we'll judge ourselves on. We forget the walks and fielding
errors and believe we're pitching no-hit games. Our record-books, however, are not the final
word. God sees all things, and that affects the final score!
What things do we need to confess and clean out?
(Ephesians 2.5
NRSV)
A few years ago Andy Hawkins, pitcher for the New York Yankees, managed a history-making
feat. He pitched a complete no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox...and lost the game 4-0.
Only one other major league pitcher has ever thrown nine innings of ball without a hit and lost.
That loss was by a much more respectable 1-0 score.
God of all, clean by heart of my wrongs, as I worship you and fill my life with your saving grace in
Jesus Christ. Amen.
