Wednesday, March 4, 2020
“Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart.” (1 Timothy 4:8, The Message Bible) 

                Let us all pause and give thanks to the Lord that we have Major League Baseball’s Spring Training with us once again.  It is with great joy that I have already watched three games on TV from the teams’ Florida-based camps. Better yet, we will be on our way to Florida ourselves this weekend with Katie and Gary and family. Weather permitting, I have four games which we will be seeing. God is indeed good! Those of you who know me well will know that baseball is almost my second religion.

                Spring training is that period of several weeks in which the ball players get back in playing shape, sharpen up their baseball skills, take batting practice and infield/outfield practice. Pitchers throw off their rust. Mangers start to plan their opening day rosters based on what they see developing in their players.  The very good players are pretty well guaranteed spots on the regular team.  Then, there are those who have to earn a spot and there is no guarantee. Young rookies are showcasing themselves. Old veterans may also be vying for spots. They play exhibition games and dozens of players get their shot. The season has not yet begun, hope springs eternal that this will be the season for going all the way to the World Series. Everyone starts on an even playing field with a 0-0 record.

                Practice makes a difference.

                So why not use this Lenten Season as an opportunity to exercise the muscles and skills of our faith? I will be the first to admit that I am sometimes a very flabby Christian. I should brush up on my abilities and capabilities of being in better shape to follow Christ. Even if for any other reason than life can become an uphill climb when you least expect it and one may not have the spiritual stamina or spiritual endurance when we need it the most. I shouldn’t be blaming God when it’s me who can’t keep up!

                I could, for example,  read my Bible more often, pray more regularly, listen more intentionally to  sacred whispers, be more charitable, exercise my love for others and reduce my critical or judgmental slobbery.

                Faith is not a given, even though it is a gift or at least God’s Grace is a gift which comes by faith. By faith, this unique trusting relationship we have with God through Christ, has to be exercised on a regular basis. Some thought, energy, effort, exertion need to be applied.

Stretch your mind.  Keep spiritually fit. Make your inner heart pump with blessed life. Breathe deeply. We will be much better off when we do some Spring Training and maybe a little Spring cleaning, too.

                “It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. 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. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Hebrews 12: 1 -2, The Message Bible)

                Batter up!


Dale 

[As noted, I will be away and there will be NO blogs for the next two weeks. I will be back on March 25^th.]