A Sure Sign...

Our Scorekeeper, Kyle Marsh

            A SURE SIGN.....

I am really enjoying coaching the 7th and 8th grade baseball team that my step-son Will plays on this Fall.

It's bringing back a lot of great memories of me playing ball as a kid and coaching my other kids when they were small.

One of the things I'm enjoying is giving signs (Steal, bunt, take, etc...) to the kids from the 3rd base coach's box to see how close they are paying attention and to see if we can execute some things and catch the other team off guard. What I'm finding is that some of the kids look down to the coach's box right away to make sure I don't have an assignment for them, and others...not so much =)

It really reminds me of how we are with our Heavenly Father. He's got a plan for what he wants us to do with each opportunity (Day or situation within a day). He's giving us signs and trying to get our attention so He can execute His game plan and we are oblivious that He's even got any plans that might be different from our own. His plans are about wanting to use us to carry out His plan and they often involve doing things that aren't just about us but about the good of the whole team. We are either forgetting to look for the signs before we get in the batter's box of life or we wouldn't recognize most of the signs He gives us because we haven't been paying attention. We step up to the plate so focused on our own agenda we aren't aware that He might be asking us to sacrifice our at bat to move another person forward. After all, how could getting a chance to take a swing be anything less than about how we do for ourselves? 

When we live life oblivious to the fact that God is wanting to communicate with us in all situations I think it's sure sign that we don't know the signs. We don't know the signs for when God is wanting us to go or stay, to lead or follow, to pray or take physical action, to say something or to remain quiet, to bless or to allow ourselves to be blessed by another.

So what are the signs God is giving us? Just as they are similar but a little different for each team I think they are similar, but a little different for you and me. The signs in a relationship can only be picked up on by knowing the other person in the relationship very well. When you know the other person well you don't even have to think about looking for the signs and react with the appropriate action. It's an instinct that is born out of the closeness of that relationship. It's what you do when you love the other person. You care what they are thinking and feeling and doing and you want to be on the same page with them, even if the best reaction to the sign puts your agenda second.

Yeah, so God is giving you signs every day. Are you looking for them? When you get close enough to recognize them the next step is having an obedient -sacrificial heart to carry out whatever assignment He has for you. Knowing and believing it is the best thing for all involved.  

"My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways,"  Proverbs 23:26