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Keep your eye on the ball, was constantly repeated as the young baseball players stepped up to the batting plate. It was an extremely windy day which caused many distractions for the batters. The other players were also leaping and jumping about as they guarded their various bases or waited in the outfield. The Coach knew what was most important however as he yelled over and over: Keep your eye on the ball. Those kids wanted to be successful as ball players, something which would never happen if they didn't have this important truth ingrained within them.
To be as successful as possible, in regards to being a Christian also means learning to keep our eye on the ball: Jesus. The apostle Peter penned these marvelous and encouraging truths:
His diving power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. "For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:3-8 NIV)
Jesus embodied all of these characteristics. Characteristics of godliness that we too are called to represent, through our knowledge of Him. Keeping our eye on Christ allows His Spirit, our Holy Coach, opportunity to have His way with us as He repeatedly brings to mind the things we know about our Lord and inspires us to integrate them into our daily lives. Such integration develops the divine nature of God in increasing measure and keeps us from being ineffective and unproductive as the Lord's people.
In today's world, just as the young ball players faced distractions, we do too. The rate of inflation is ever before us. Addictions of every kind face so many, including Christian families. Lack of or reduced medical care and facilities make it difficult to receive the best of health care as necessary. Age brings its own set of distractions, but amidst it all let us never forget what is most important: keeping our eye on the ball: Jesus, for He is the One who is able to bring about, through His very great and precious promises, the successful navigation of all of the problems this world can pitch at us.
Prayer: Lord God, thank You for Jesus. Empower and motivate us daily to keep our eyes upon Him. In Christ's name we ask. Amen.
Lynne Phipps
Tawatinaw, Alberta, Canada
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