Don't crowd the plate! -Joshua 1:7-8

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."  Joshua 1:7-8


This is a wonderful time of the year to be a big baseball fan!  I'm a big Cleveland Indians fan myself!  I'm especially happy after they beat the White Sox!  They won both games yesterday!


I used to play little league baseball.  It was a lot of fun even if I wasn't the best player in the world.

Today I was thinking about the importance of following the rules when it comes to baseball and when it comes to life.

In the verses listed above God is commanding Joshua to hold on to the laws and to follow them without turning from them.  God seems pretty serious about it.  Actually God makes a correlation for Joshua about the importance of living by the law, following the rules and being successful in life.  Personally, I believe that's one of the most important reasons we have the laws.  They're not there to simply punish us and point out when we're wrong.   Rather they help us to prosper and help us to be a blessing to others.

Yes, indeed  the Laws are meant to keep us out of trouble but when we don't follow the laws we often get burned.  I think that sports is a good example of this.

Take hitting for example.  If you break the rules by standing on the plate while hitting or even if you crowd the plate too tightly you're likely to get hit!  Now if you're only a little league player getting hit is not a matter of life or death.  I can tell you that from first hand experience because  there was one season, before I received my glasses, that it seemed the only time I got on base was when I was hit by the pitch!

Perhaps I had a bruise or two but the pitches in little league probably hover around the 50 to 60 miles an hour depending on your age but in the pros you could get hit by a 90 + mile hour fast ball! Ouch!

The point is.... if you stay on the right side of the plate  (or the left side for the lefties, ha!)  You're much less likely to get hit but if you aren't following the rules..  watch out!

Life is like that as well.  When we don't live according to God's law the possibility that we will suffer consequences is greatly increased.   

And just like there's a big difference between the little league and the big league pitch, consequences for our sins seemed to increase with our age and the situation.  Considering the crucial challenges ahead of Joshua and the Children of Israel they better prepare for the 100+ fast balls.

I find it amazing sometimes how people blame God about the pain and even the sickness they suffer from.  I can sympathize with them just as God does but I can just hear God yelling from heaven to some of them saying,  "Stop crowding the plate and you won't get hurt!"  Frankly I shake my head because a lot of people stand ON THE PLATE, if you know what I mean, and they expect to still be standing by the end of the day!     

Indeed all of us probably crowd the plate more than we should.  Just like we tend to push the speed limit we tend to test the limits of God's laws as well.

Don't be fooled by Satan's lies.  Sin and living on the edge might seem fun for a season but when we follow the laws not only will we avoid some broken bones we have a much better chance of hitting the ball out of the park! 

To Ponder:  Why don't we thank God today for his laws and guidelines for life!   Let's be thankful for the blessings we've received when we and others have followed the laws.  And if you're crowding the plate a little bit.  MOVE BACK! into God's perfect will.


Be sure to find a church to worship God tomorrow morning.  Let's remember to observe the Sabbath and keep it Holy!  Besides it's a great joy to worship God and make the Lord first in our lives!