Hunter Christner

There’s something about summer baseball. The sun is hot, the grass is cut sharp and the dugouts are full of dust and chatter. If you’ve played the game, you know it’s slow, until it’s not. One pitch can change everything. A blooper over the shortstop, a passed ball or a clutch hit with two outs. The pace might feel laid back, but it always demands attention. Baseball has this rhythm that mirrors life in a surprising way. Lots of waiting, watching and building routine. Then, out of nowhere, something happens and you’ve got to respond.

Spiritually, life works like that too. Most days feel normal, even predictable. You get into patterns, build habits, make decisions and sometimes, without warning, something big comes at you. A crisis, a new opportunity, a moment that could change the whole game. Just like in baseball, the way you respond matters.

Recently, I was at a game and a player struck out. You could see it all over his face, disappointed, frustrated, embarrassed. He walked back to the dugout and tossed his bat down with his head low. Some of the players didn’t know what to say or how to help him. They gave him a pat on the back and did their best to cheer him up. His coach came over and said one thing: “Head up. Game’s not over.”

Spiritually, we’re all going to strike out sometimes. We miss what God is trying to teach us. We choose sin instead of obedience. We chase things that don’t satisfy us. If we’re not careful, we can get stuck in shame, frustration or apathy. But God meets us there. He doesn’t yell and he doesn’t walk away. He says, “Head up. I’m not done with you.”

The Bible is full of stories where people strike out and God keeps pursuing them. Peter denied Jesus three times. David committed adultery and tried to cover it up. Jonah ran in the opposite direction. But God wasn’t done with any of them. He forgave, restored and used them anyway. That’s grace. That’s the gospel.

Jesus didn’t come to recruit the perfect players. He came for sinners, people like you and me who need help, who need a second chance, who need a savior. He lived the life we couldn’t live. He died on the cross to take the penalty for our sins. And he rose again proving he really is God, and that the game isn’t over. Because of Jesus, you don’t have to stay stuck in your past. You don’t have to keep pretending you’ve got it all figured out. You can come to him honestly and say, “I’ve been trying to play this game my own way, and I’m striking out. I need you.”

Romans 5:8 says, “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” That’s how much he wants you on his team. He’s not waiting for you to clean up your act. He’s waiting for you to say yes to him. Maybe this summer God’s trying to get your attention. Not with a storm or a supernatural event, but with the quiet, steady reminder that life is short, eternity is real and Jesus is better.

You can talk to him right now. Say something like, “Jesus, I know I’ve sinned. I believe You died for me and rose again. I want to follow you. Show me how.”

If you’ve already made that decision, remember: The game’s not over. Keep your head up. Stay ready. God’s still writing your story.

(Hunter Christner is associate staff at Campus Ventures in Powell.)