The End Of A Season
Baseball
season has officially come to an end in the New York City area. With the Yankees’ final loss to the Tigers
last night (and a terrible loss at that!), the Yankees go home to watch the
world series on their television sets just like the rest of us—if they will do
that (not sure I will). Until next
April, we are done with baseball in New York.
If
you are a Yankee fan, you are of course both disappointed and almost stunned by
the startling fall of the team. After
all, this was one of the best teams in baseball. With their payroll and share of baseball
superstars, we all expected a much longer post-season. Who would have thought they would have
crashed and burned as they did? Who
would have thought that in three games they would come up with only two runs?
It’s not that they were a shoe-in to win the pennant, but who would have
thought that they would lose in a shut-out? But, even the strongest and
mightiest go down at times. And, as the
saying goes, “The bigger they are the harder they fall.”
Unfortunately,
we all have those times in our lives when we go down pretty hard. One day we feel strong and secure, almost
invincible; everything seems to be going just the way it should; we feel pretty
good about ourselves. But, then something unexpected happens—a physical
illness, relational conflict, a circumstance beyond our control, etc.—and our
frailty is exposed. We are suddenly not
as strong as we once thought we were. Our weaknesses come through, both to
ourselves and to those around us. Sometimes we go down pretty hard. And, we are not always quite sure what to do.
Here’s
what the prophet Isaiah wrote to those in his day who were feeling weak,
fragile, and vulnerable, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and
fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will
run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30, 31 – NIV)
If today you are feeling as if you are unable to score
a run or even get on base (to use a baseball metaphor!); if you are feeling
tired and weak, and maybe a bit disappointed with life; if in some way you’ve
fallen and are feeling quite vulnerable, don’t give up. Rather, turn to the Lord. Put your hope and trust in God. He will lift you up. In him you will find the strength you need to
move on into another season.
Well,
I’ll be looking forward to next April and a Yankee comeback—should the Lord
tarry!
Have a great day!
Pastor Tim Harris
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