Play Ball

How often do you look at your own collection of books? Do you have any that have been pushed back for the last few years? If so, maybe it's time to take a look again! You see, here at God's Page some of us tend to do just that. Because of a hunger of a ten year old, that wanted to read about God, one of our people found the book "You Can Be First String On God's Team", pushed back, unread on a shelf that had been there for years.

Little did anyone realize the power of God in this book. Even she didn't realize how God was using her. Since this book was given to her she read and she reread. She took a blue hilighter to mark what she felt important. She didn't stop there though. Not only did she have me read it, She also took it to her Pastor and said "you need to read this". He said that he would when he had time. Her response? "That's not between you and me. That's between you and God." Her obedience to God was 100%, because those aren't words that I would expect to hear from her. Needless to say, when God speaks with such power, He DOES require immediate response. Her pastor found everything that she hilighted of importance. Not only did this bring one sermon and bible study, there are more to come. Why are the words in this book so powerful? Read on...

The author was once a football player. Yet, referred to this in all sports and activities. He spoke of athletes putting 100% to the game. Giving their all. Obedience to the coach. Honor to the school and teammates. Constant preparation, even to the regiment of the diet. Encouragement to the other players. A definite show giving it all. Causing excitement for the spectators in the bleachers. Think about it, isn't that what the game is all about? Shouldn't the players give their all? Think of the cheerleaders, encouraging people to be excited about the game. People standing up cheering and clapping. They are so excited about the game. You can even hear the excitement in the words "popcorn, ice cold pop"! Yet when the team falls behind, not only do we hear the boo's and words about how they should have made a different play; we also hear people cheering them on, not to give up, but to get up and carry on. Isn't that what the cheerleaders, other players, coach, and spectators are supposed to do? Encouragement plays a big part in the game. Imagine if everybody would just sit in the bleachers and say nothing. Imagine the coach just sitting back, waiting to see what will happen next. Cheerleaders, let's sit them in the bleachers too. They can visit with the others. Now the other players on the bench, we'll have them look around at people and jab one of the others when a cute girl goes by. What about the players on the field? How do you think this will affect them? I picture them as lost. They don't know what to do or which direction to go. Likely they'll lose the desire to even try, nobody else cares, why should they. Somebody calls a time out, yet they are standing alone, with no direction as to what play they should make. Half time in the locker room brings them no closer to a winning game. If everybody is so disinterested, why should they try to go on?

Tell me, can you see a comparison between the disinterested people in the game, to people in the church? Is this how we support God and His people? His spectators and players? It's the pastor's job to talk about God. Sure the kids need to learn this because it's what they are supposed to do in bible study. Is God a Sunday obligation or is He our coach? This book also talks about the lukewarm church. How God wants us hot and on fire for Him, yet He will also accept cold, because that means that someone doesn't means the complacent people. They're comfortable with the way things are. They sit in the same pew, Sunday after Sunday. They put their 10% in the offering basket every week. Why do they stay lukewarm? Why shouldn't they. They don't want to have to have to do anything. They want no responsibility. They don't want to look at themselves, because they might see something they would have to change. Isn't this like the little story of the disinterested people at the game?

Can you imagine what would happen to God's Team if the players would give their all to God. If God's players were excited about Him? If the spectators wouldn't only accept and encourage the players, but be part of the team. Can you imagine standing and cheering for God? Don't we need to encourage them to carry on, not too give up or quit? Why is it that we as human beings can stand at a basketball game and be so excited, yet for God, we're just bench sitters? Why at a baseball game are the stands so full and energy so high? We accept the falls and help each other back up in the game, but on God's team we cross the street so that we don't have to see what's really happening?

You see, even with the game on Friday night, the players are practicing almost every day. Tickets are being sold everyday. John asked Susie for a date to the game. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED!!! So why, aren't we doing the same on God's Team? You see, even with church on Sunday, shouldn't we be practicing everyday. Shouldn't we be asking for a date to go to church! Shouldn't we be EXCITED FOR GOD???

The author talked about winning the Super Bowl. The prizes and awards that could be won. Wouldn't that be nice? Well, when we die that ring gets left behind. That trophy will collect dust on the shelf. The Super Bowl is a reward yes, but it's only good to look at for your time here on earth. What preparations are you making for your time in eternity? That reward will stay with you forever! Life eternal in heaven would be a reward so great. You don't know how to get there? By being excited about God. By putting the greatest effort into Him. By helping train the players to be on God's team. His team even has an instruction manual, it's called the bible. The bible will prepare you to be on God's Team. It will even tell you how to eat! You see, we have all qualified to be on the team. Every one of us. Are you willing to accept your position? Are you willing to be excited? Are you willing to let others know about God's team? You see, they're invited too, maybe they just don't know how to get on the team.

When Max and Vivian Rice wrote this book, they definitely were and are on God's team. Many thanks to them, for showing us the way to God's team. Special thanks to a special 10 year old for letting God use her in such a powerful way!!! You see, God DOES speak to us!

Remember "You CAN Be First String On God's Team"!