"KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL!"

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:8-9

I remember playing little league baseball when I was young. I remember walking up to the plate in anticipation of hitting the game-winning home run. I remember standing there waiting for the pitch but often looking around at everything else that was going on around me.

HERE COMES THE PITCH....SWING......STRIKE ONE

I would hunker down, pound my bat on the plate, spit (because the big timers did that!), and take my practice swing. But then I'd start looking elsewhere again, seeing what was happening in the other dugout, the stands, or the concession booth.

HERE COMES THE PITCH....SWING.......STRIKE TWO

"TIME-OUT!!" my coach would holler and he would patiently start his walk to the plate to speak with me. He'd put his hand on my shoulder, kneel to make eye contact with me and calmly say, "Keep your eye on the ball.". Now obviously the fantastic finish to this story would be to say that the next pitch came, there was a crack, loud earth-shattering cheers as I rounded the bases and headed home to my waiting fans who would then hoist me upon their shoulders and carry me off in glory. But the truth is my next swing often resulted in the words..
"STRIKE THREE, YOU'RE OUT!" Oh well, so much for the "ole glory days".

Even though my aim was off, the Coaches directions were right on..."Keep your eye on the ball." In Philippians 4:8-9, the Apostle Paul was saying, "Focus on what's good, not on what's bad". Sure there is a lot of negative in our world today but God doesn't want us to live a life of discouragement caused by our constant focus on all that's wrong in our world and our lives. God wants us to focus on Him, what He's done for us, what He's doing for us, and what He's promised to do still! God makes us the promise in verse 9, that if we will focus on the "positives", the blessings God's bestowed on us, the answered prayers, the healings, and most of all...on His son Jesus Christ, then He will give us peace. It will be His peace, not empty temporary peace.

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27

If we will "Keep our eyes on the ball", if we will keep our eyes "fixed on Jesus", we will always hit a home run. The "Coach" will smile, the angels will shout, and all of God's people with cheer..."Amen".