Since my boys were old enough to pick up a bat they have loved baseball. I can't begin to tell you the many hours of enjoyment my husband spent pitching to them in the backyard. Their love for the game grew as they did. My husband and I love to watch them play because we know how much they enjoy the game.
We have received ridicule over the years from some less enthusiastic sports fans. They say things such as... "Why do you waste so much time on a ball field?"
"Get a real life." "There is life outside of baseball."
We are also Christians and very active in our church. There are activities that my children have missed because of commitments made to their baseball teams.
I have struggled with these questions:
- Is it wrong to choose baseball over going to church?
- Does God understand?
- Does God like baseball?
My husband coached my oldest son's travel baseball team. All the games were played on weekends and many times on Sunday during church time. We really struggled with this as Christians. Are we doing the right thing? Do we have the right to ask other Christian parents to take their children out of church to play in a baseball game? We prayed about it and this is what happened...
One Sunday we were at a tournament and I announced that I would be having devotions on the side before the game for any parents and players that wanted to attend. Every parent and player followed me over to the spot and we shared scripture and prayed together as a team. It then became a tradition that I have never regretted. There were some boys on that team that had never set foot inside a church building but they had heard scripture. This team lasted for over four years. We shared a bond with the parents and players of that team that we have not found with any other team that our children played on.
In my opinion, God can be found anywhere his people are. I believe He uses other people and activities to show His love to others. I know He reached out to some boys on that team through a sport they loved that may have never been reached inside of a church building.
So, if you ask me, God loves baseball because he loves baseball players.
