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Weekly Devotions

The Inside Story-July 6, 2020

Being on the inside is a good thing. At least most of the time. What is your inside story?

Monday Morning Devotion-July6, 2020

 

The Inside Story

 

May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.  May the Lord show you His favor and give you His peace.    Numbers 6:24-26

 

            Major League baseball has decided to go ahead and play their season, with a strict set of

rules that must be followed to guard against the coronavirus.  There won't be any fans in the stands to watch them play and they have rules about social distancing, etc. that the players playing the game and those not in the game must follow.  There is an inside story playing out while the outside story is in progress. 

            Extracting this from my book: "In the Big Inning, God Created Baseball" (2013 on Amazon.com)

            "A common explanation for a story that elicits only a few laughs or nods of acknowledgement is that it must be an 'inside joke.'  It can only be understood and appreciated if you are familiar with or have first-hand knowledge about the situation, i e.  you must be on the 'inside' to know what's going on."

            Being on the inside is usually a good thing.  For example, in baseball a home run that never leaves the ballpark is an 'inside the park homer.'  It triggers a flurry of activity but is only appreciated by the team at bat and its supporters. 

            Inside the park home runs are rare.  They usually occur because of some freak happening like an outfielder falling down in pursuit of the ball; two fielders running into each other as the ball sails past untouched or the ball taking a weird bounce off the fence.  Meanwhile the batter just keeps running and circles the bases for a home run.  In the 20th century inside-the-park home runs accounted for only one out of every 158 home runs."

            Now why are we talking baseball for a devotion? Well, here's why.  Each story included in the book: (In the Big Inning God Created Baseball) shows how baseball and the Bible match up in many ways.  There are many life lessons found in baseball that mirror those learned in the Bible.

            Recently I heard Bishop Ken Carter of the Florida United Methodist Conference use a quote from someone else that speaks to us: "The Bible is a lens through which we see our culture and our culture is a lens through which we see the Bible."  They combine to help us learn life lessons from each that we can use daily.

            Now let's see how our story matches both today:

            "The Israelites had their own inside story that was just between them and God.  It was a blessing.  A blessing was their way of asking for divine favor. The ancient blessing found in Numbers results from God's instruction to Moses that he have the priests, Aaron and his sons, bless the people with a special blessing.  This blessing had five parts to it:

            (1). Bless and protect them.

            (2)  Smile on them (and be pleased)

            (3)  Be gracious (merciful and compassionate)

            (4)  Show his favor toward them (give His approval)

            (5).  Give peace

            This as an inside story.  It was an agreement between God and Israel.  In return for their being designated as His people God would keep those wonderful promises.  He would bless them and prosper them.  Sounds like a great deal.  A real no-brainer.  We wonder, with all this inside information, how the Israelites could ever get off-track.  As long as they kept their focus on God and his promises, they would be okay.

            We know the rest of the story.  We read how they arrived at the doorstep to the Promised Land and were afraid to go in.  They forgot the inside story°the blessing from God that the priests had bestowed on them.  Their fear blotted out God's promise to protect them and give them peace. 

            The inside story provides an advantage, but only when the information is acted on.  An inside the park homer is not complete if the batter stops at third base.  He must go all the way, just as the Israelites were required to go all the way with God's blessings.

            The inside story for each of us is that God wants to work through us despite the limitations we may feel that we have.  Paul wrote in Philippians 1:6:  He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

            The inside story attached to that is Paul was in jail.  Still he was being productive as he wrote much of the New Testament under trying circumstances.  Dr. Charles Stanley writes:

"God is working through you in your limitations even as he did with Paul who was in jail.

            Your inside story, just between you and Him, is that even though you may feel limited in your scope, especially in these times of social distancing to combat the virus, God is not limited.  Many people can be influenced by you through your obedience to God. 

            Staying focused on Him is the key.  Keep in mind the scripture that I recite to myself several times every day.  It is uplifting and will keep in your mind the way your inside story will play out.  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord.  "Plans to prosper you, not to harm you.  Plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

            Keep searching for that inside story that God has for you.  It is part of His master plan.

 

Prayer: Lord thank You for our own personal inside story we share with You when we seek and find You.  Amen!

 

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