I’m really not a huge sports fan.
Except for hockey. Hockey is fantastic. And NASCAR.
On the other hand, and I know this may be a bit controversial, but baseball might just be the most boring sport in the world. It’s a whole lot of standing around, interspersed with brief moments of action.
Take, for example, the case of a batter facing a full count: three balls, and two strikes. The next pitch can decide whether he is out or on base. The tension is… well… let me describe it.
The pitcher stares at the catcher. Some signals are traded. The pitcher shakes his head. Finally, he agrees on a pitch… and then throws to first base to keep the runner honest.
Of course, all this action throws off the batter who has to step out of the batter’s box to knock some dirt off his shoes.
Then the umpire needs to clean the plate.
Meanwhile, the rest of the players are either standing around in the field, or they are busily chewing gum and spitting sunflower seeds in the dugout.
Oh! The action!
Finally, a pitch is thrown. The batter swings mightily. His bat connects, but just barely, sending the ball into foul territory.
And they have to repeat the whole blasted process. Again!
Seriously, I’ve seen more exciting action in curling. And that’s people just throwing a stone down a sheet of ice.
However, once a year, for at least a few minutes, I can usually turn on the World Series.
And this year, I managed to watch all of Game 7. After all, if I had to choose a favorite baseball team, I’d choose the Chicago Cubs.
I must admit I have a fondness for the Cubs and for Wrigley Field. It was where I first saw a baseball game. Although, I think it was a sad day when they put lights in the park. Perhaps God did, too. (It poured rain that first night game, causing the game to be called.)
But my Cubbies were lovable losers – the perennial underdogs. They had not won a World Series since 1908. They were a cursed team, or so the tale goes.
Just this past week, the Cubs put their so-called curse to rest. They ended their 108-year drought.
But that brings other concerns, especially in this election year. Will we see an apocalypse? Many people jokingly predict the end of the world is upon us.
Even I joked about it in 2003, when it looked possible that two supposedly cursed teams, the Cubs and the Red Sox might end up playing each other in the Series. I suspect that many people breathed a sigh of relief when neither team made it to the Series that year.
And while the Bible is said to mention baseball in its first verse: “In the big inning…”, rest assured, there is no mention of the Cubs in the book of Revelation, or Daniel, or Ezekiel. (At least, not that I’ve found.)
All joking aside, there are many people who believe that we are nearing the end times. Or at least, that our country, our society, our communities have seen their best days.
It is a pessimistic view, I know. I personally don’t believe there is a baseball-shaped asteroid out there on a collision course for the earth, and I’m not ready to break out my sign that says, “The End of the World is Near,” but there are real reasons to be concerned.
I assume that you know there is an election of some importance coming up in just two days. If you aren’t aware of that, please let me in on your secret. I’m sorely tempted to pull the covers up over my head until Tuesday has come and gone.
Frankly, I’ve been appalled at the behavior and the actions we have seen from many of the candidates for local, state, and federal positions in recent years.
I know that we often don’t discuss politics within the church, and I feel strongly that it is inappropriate for a pastor or speaker to encourage the congregation to vote for or against a specific candidate. So, that is not what I am doing.
However, I think that we as Christians cannot stand idly by as the love of money, the love of power, the love of things overtakes our love for God.
It’s easy to blame our political leaders for everything that is wrong in the world. However, I think the behaviors we are witnessing in the electoral process are a direct reflection of the attitudes becoming more prevalent in our society. I think it shows just how much we have allowed God to be pushed to the side.
I have heard more people, including many political leaders, say that religion is okay, as long as it stays inside the church building on Sunday mornings.
It is a statement that saddens me.
By segregating God from everyday life, it then becomes easier for society to accept those activities and behaviors that really should be unacceptable.
Please remember, I’m not saying that God’s vengeance is upon us. I’m not saying that the end is near.
I am saying, that as a people, when we push God away, we also push away his blessings.
My dad always described that as the natural consequences of our actions.
Are you feeling a little tightness in your chest? Are you feeling pessimistic about the future?
None of this is new. We see it often in the Bible and throughout history. Certainly, we read about cycles of Israel turning away, and turning back to God.
We must remember that God is in control. Even when we walk away from Him, he does not walk away from us.
Is the apocalypse on the horizon? Cubs victory or not, I have NO idea. I’d caution you to take any serious predictions with a grain of salt.
But that may not make it any easier to deal with the decay we see in our society.
In the meantime, try Deuteronomy 31:6 for one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible:
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
Yes. That is encouraging. But it also means that we need to step into the batter’s box. We need to face that 100 mph fastball. We need to take action.
As we read earlier, we have important work ahead of us.
2 Thessalonians 2:14-15 says:
He [God] called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm [STAND FIRM!] and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
We have big responsibilities ahead of us.
Do you remember the passage we read in Haggai? Let me provide a little background about it.
Haggai was speaking to the Jewish people who had returned from their exile in Babylon. They had misplaced their priorities.
They were focused on using their time and resources to rebuild their own houses, and they were neglecting the temple. Haggai did not hold back, he shared God’s expectations.
In chapter 1, verses 7 and 8, Haggai said the following:
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house [the temple], so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord.
It was not an easy message, or a simple task. Yet, they listened. They acted. And their response generated hope for an improved future.
It is a great analogy for us today. Our society is focused inward, ignoring God. I fear that our churches are tempted to do the same.
Now is the time to change that. Now is the time to make our faith known.
We must not be afraid to say, “No. I will not limit my faith in Jesus Christ to Sunday morning, or to this building. I will share His love in my everyday life.”
It will bring HOPE for the future!
Yes. We have an election day coming up. Yes. Many of us across this country will not like the results.
Yes. We may be unhappy with the direction of our country, our society.
Yes. The Cubs even won the World Series.
But yes. We CAN make a difference, as individuals and as Christ’s church!
Do not worry. Stay strong. Be steadfast in your faith.
If circumstances take a turn for the worse in our country, we need to be ready. Often, in those difficult times, that’s when many people seek God. Will we be here to answer that call?
As Haggai 2:5 says: “And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear.”
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