Seeking the Sabbath: Sitting on the Sidelines

There are many things that would fit for this post tonight. Many things that I have been contemplating today as I focus on my God. This week was still difficult to be focused. I still had to work at keeping all of the distractions out, but it was a little better.

Tonight I am thinking about the fact that I am a bench warmer. Not because I am not good enough, not because I fouled out too many times or let the other team score too many points, but because I have chosen to sit out. I am too scared to walk up to the plate because the ball might hit me and that would hurt. I might strike out and people would laugh at me and call me a failure. I might get a stain on my nice white pants that won't come out...then where would I be? Who am I without the purity of my white uniform?

Many of us are hiding on the sidelines of our faith, burdened by the thought that our knowledge is lacking and therefore we are just better off to be followers of a leader that is educated in theology and biblical history and so on.

But- the beauty of the gospel is it's simplicity. God loves me. Satan whispers in my ear that God indeed does not, and will do all that he can to keep me from believing that truth along with the rest of God's children. God sent His Son to die for me, which proves that lie is untrue (and yet I still sometimes believe it). My Lord wants to have a relationship with me, to know me and have me KNOW Him. Anything beyond that is the details my friend. No amount of education can make up for the things that He will show me through that relationship. Just because I am not schooled in religion does not give me excuses. Nor does going to school, in itself, give a person more knowledge OF God. Accumulating information does not give a man wisdom. No sirree Bob, it does not.

So, my conviction tonight is that I no longer have reason to sit on the sidelines and play it safe. I might strike out a couple of times or get hurt by the ball, but I have to be able to tell my coach that I tried my hardest. And you know what, my coach ain't no pro-ball guy. We are playing little league here, He has some mighty patience.