I like baseball, especially now as playoffs are underway and we are heading to the World Series. My dad was a baseball fan. I remember him sitting in his chair and listening to games on the radio. Baseball may seem boring to some, but to me it is a game of strategy and planning. You don’t have to be physically big to play – nothing like a fast, wiry shortstop stopping a ball and starting a double or even triple play.

And it doesn’t have to be homeruns (although those are fun), I enjoy seeing one base hit after another and watching runners scrambling around the bases and sliding into home plate.

Baseball evolved from 70 games in 1876 to 162 games in 1961. By now in the year players have played a lot of games. They are tired. Many are hurting. But with a world championship coming up, they ignore their fatigue and their aches and pains. They play all out, sometimes on heart alone. They want to win the World Series Pennant Race.

We, too, are in a race and Hebrews 12:1 tells us to “…run with endurance the race God has set before us.”

At times our race seems long and difficult. We grow tired. We hurt. Pain often becomes our daily companion. But just like those baseball players finishing their season strong despite the difficulties, we are to finish our race strong.

We need to remain faithful in this good fight because there is something far more valuable than a World Series Pennant (ring) waiting for us.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return.” [2Timothy 4:7-8 NLT]