World Series

I apologize for the long lay off from blogging.

In the last month I have experienced and witnessed the greatest sports month of my life. To say, "I am a Texas Rangers fan" would be an understatement. Laura, my wife would say that I am an "obsessed" fan. I don't like that word necessarily. In any case, this last month of playoff baseball leading up to World Series baseball has been a lot of fun.

It's amazing how 30 teams play 162 games over 6 months and are then dwindled down to two teams. Two out of 30. The definition of winning is being the last team to win. In other words, to the be the team that ends the season with a win. Other from the fact that the World Series is not really a world event, is is the biggest and greatest baseball stage. It's the stage that the other 28 teams have to watch while the lucky 2 get to play. All eyes and ears are watching and analyzing and over-analyzing every move and play. Simply being a fan watching my team in the Series for the first time was nerve racking at times. Hard to imagine how the players must of felt.

Think of yourself as a player for a moment. Essentially we are all players in life. More so, we are all players who contribute and strive for the greater, better things. As players, we have goals, ambitions and practices to help us reach our life World Series. The questions to ask here are: what are you playing for  in life? What is your greatest ambition? What places you as the champion?

Can you imagine winning the biggest prize you've ever wanted to win? Wouldn't that be fun. My team, the Texas Rangers came so close. They won more than they ever had before. They went further than they ever went before. They achieved more than they ever had before. They got closer than they ever had before. Though they fell short of the ultimate prize, they achieved great new levels as a team.

As players in our lives, we fall short. We miss. We strike out. The reality of living is that sometimes we stumble. As believers we have that too. It's not an excuse or reason to go out and stumble. Players who want to win don't do that. Players who want to win are not making errors on purpose. However, they are learning from that and moving on quickly. If players aren't moving on, they can't win. The season is long, the plays are hard and there others always critiquing you. But, are those reasons to stop playing for the prize?

One thing I am confident of: when we push ourselves, and play for the prize, and move towards the goal, we will never fall short. You see, baseball is something that is great fun for me, but not something that will carry me to the ultimate World Series. The things I accomplish may be great things, but if they are not aiding me in achieving my ultimate goal of Heaven, then I am falling short. In Jesus Christ I will make it to the biggest stage and not fall short. In Jesus Christ it will be more than a good time, but a life changing, eternally saved time. In Jesus Christ the World Series comes down to me and Him. We are face to face and together at last. Then and only then, because of His great love for me, I will win....truly win.