Relief Pitcher

By Overseer Christopher J. Harris
        

I will readily admit right up front that I am a huge baseball fan…when the playoffs roll around. Watching one hundred and sixty two games over a period of six months is absolutely overwhelming to me. But when the playoffs roll around, I get just as excited as any other baseball fan. Many people would probably call that a fair weather fan(atic). My response would simply be, “guilty!” One aspect of the baseball game that I love to study is the idea of relief pitchers.

Every baseball team has a team of people who have trained, studied and are prepared at any moment to be called into the game. More often than not, these relief pitchers are the closers of the game. In other words, the starting pitcher pitches for as long as he can until his need exceeds his physical ability to continue. So, the team manager goes out, congratulates him for what he’s done so far, and signals to the bullpen for the relief pitcher to come in and help offer relief.

This person then comes in and meets the need for the team and closes the game out.

What’s amazingly clear about our lives is that with our efforts, good works, good looks and religious activity, we've attempted to meet a spiritual need that couldn’t be met by those things. We tried our best to win with them, and ultimately, please God with them. And while those things are good, they have never met the most important need we have. That is, the need to have something to pay the price and penalty for our sins. So, God in His wisdom, extended an invitation to His Son, Jesus, to come in and be our “relief pitcher.” Jesus gladly accepted this invitation because He understood He had what it took to meet this need.

The Bible comes alive on this subject in a number of passages, including 1 John 2:2, which says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” Eugene Peterson’s Message Translation says, “When he served as a sacrifice for our sins, he solved the sin problem for good – not only ours, but the whole world’s.” Propitiation literally means the place where mercy is found. At the point of our need is where Jesus steps in.

Baseball historians would say that Mariano Rivera, Lee Smith or Bruce Sutter, among others, have been the best relief pitchers to ever play the game. And while that may be true, I would offer to you this day that the BEST relief pitcher the world will EVER meet and know about is – Jesus Christ!

1 John 4: 10 (Message) says, “This is the kind of love we are talking about – not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.” Thank you Jesus for being my Relief Pitcher! Not just during the playoffs, but every day of my life, thank you for offering me new mercies and new grace with each new sun rising.

Today, I challenge you! Don't attempt to satisfy or earn brownie points with God by just doing good stuff, but to give your heart solely to Him and allow the good stuff to flow out of your love and strong relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, as you are guided by the Holy Spirit. This method will guarantee that you’ll win the game – the Game of Life!

Scripture Of The Day: “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” – 1 John 2:2 (NKJ)

Christopher J. Harris, a native of Palatka, FL, is Chief of Staff/Director of Church Operations of the historic mega-church Fellowship Church of Chicago. He is also Overseer of Youth for Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International. Harris currently resides in Chicago with his wife and children. http://www.ChristopherJHarris.com…