For the purpose of this blog allow me to use an illustration. In many of our sports we use a ball. It could be a soccer ball, football, softball, baseball, and others that add to our recreational pleasure. The one requirement in all of these activities is that we have to be in the right position to catch it, hit, or kick it. We know this is true as we face the autumn season approaching during which so many of these games are played. An enthusiast would not be hired as a player if that enthusiast has not trained so that he would be in the right place to catch the ball. For instance, in the case of baseball, an outfielder is of no use if he does not conform to the purpose for him having been placed there. He must catch the ball! He must reach out into the air and snag it in his glove.
This illustration is so true of the Christian life. If we allow any distraction or stumble in our walk, it is unlikely we will receive the blessing or answer to prayer we want. We must be in the right place before God. Nothing must interfere with our relationship between ourselves and God. If a ballplayer is distracted from catching the ball, he could be responsible for losing the game. If we are distracted by sin or disobedience, we could be responsible for not receiving what God intended for us.
The player must prepare. The believer must also prepare through Bible study and prayer. There are some people that we meet that seem to have a powerful spiritual life. They know what it is to be rightly aligned in fellowship with God. They know to put God first about all else. They know that there could be sacrifices required of them. We know that the Bible tells us that there is a cost in serving Christ. The cost may simply be redirecting our time and energy. The other extreme for a cost to be our own lives can be from persecutors.
We cannot take for granted the importance of a dedicated life. It is so easy for circumstances or Satan’s temptations to distract us from prayer time and Bible reading. We must spiritually train ourselves to put God first about television, social activities, family events, and even church functions. Nothing, nothing, nothing can be allowed to interfere with the performance of a sincere and dedicated life to God. We cannot catch that spiritual ball, that spiritual blessing, if we do not have our priorities in order. We must be strong and faithful. Ours is an opportunity of a lifetime. When we are in the right place to catch the ball, it will have ramifications for a certain day to a certain eternity.
Christian Writer 