by Larry Refsland
What would baseball be without umpires? Anybody who has ever played or watched a baseball game knows how important a good umpire is. They call balls and strikes, indicate whether a ball is in fair or foul territory and decide close plays by declaring a runner either “safe” or “out”. When a good umpire makes the calls, the game is fair and orderly. We may not always like the calls, but for the game to continue we abide by their decisions. The rules of the game are followed and we enjoy the competition. The Bible says that God has given us an umpire to help us live our lives according to the game rules. Here’s what Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” The original Greek word for “guard” is the same word from which we get the word “umpire” today. In other words, the peace of God will be the umpire for our hearts and minds as we bring everything to God in prayer. How do we know if we should pursue that relationship, or change careers, or buy that house? Present it to God and follow the peace that he gives. If there is no peace, the umpire is saying, “That’s out of bounds, don’t go there.” If there is a very strong sense of peace, follow it. Don’t forget, the umpire of peace can only be relied upon when we have first brought the situation to God in prayer. I encourage you to be sensitive to God’s umpire of peace to direct your life today. Now, play ball! |
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May 2016
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