Warming Up in the Bullpen

 

M

y grandfather loved baseball and he loved roasted peanuts.  Many a Saturday afternoon I sat with him watching a baseball game on television.  It really didn’t matter who was playing; there was baseball, there were peanuts just out of the oven, and there was my granddad and me.

   

I can’t tell you the number of games I watched at my grandparents’ home at 511 South Elm Street but I do know that the time I spent there is a treasure I visit often from my childhood.  Long before the advent of televisions sporting picture-within-a-picture technology, my granddad had devised a scheme to watch two games simultaneously.  Granddad had set-on-top-of-set!  That’s right, he had two television sets and could watch games—and often did—on both sets at the same time.  It was great! 

 

But no matter if we were watching one game or two, at some point in the contest, the camera would pan over to the bullpen where one pitcher began warming up, ready to replace the one already in the game.  It could have been because the pitcher was having a bad game or simply because he was tired.  But whatever the reason, fatigue or trouble, there was someone in the bullpen ready to step in and take over the job.  No matter what, the game continued. 

 

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of the bullpen can be found in the Scriptures?  Well if you will open you Bible to the first chapter of the book of Deuteronomy you will find an instance in Israel’s history where God began preparing a man to take over the job Moses had started in Egypt. 

                                                         

Deuteronomy 1:38 simply reads, “But your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will enter it. Encourage him, because he will lead Israel to inherit it.”  God became angry with Moses at a place called Meribah.  The Lord told Moses to speak to a rock and the rock would give the people water.  Moses, frustrated with the people, struck the rock instead of speaking to it.  God provided the water as He promised, but He prevented Moses from entering the land.                     

 

Joshua, Moses’s aid, was one of only twelve men who returned from spying out the Promised Land.  Of these twelve, only Joshua and his companion Caleb encouraged the people to take the land.  The other ten gave a discouraging report and because the people chose to follow these ten instead of obeying God, they wondered in the desert for forty years.  Because of his faith, Joshua was selected to succeed Moses.  He was called to warm up in the bullpen for many years, as he prepared to lead the people when Moses’ tenure came to an end. 

 

God’s plan, the fulfillment of the promise He made to Abraham to bring the people into a land flowing with milk and honey, was not thwarted or changed because of Moses’ disobedience.  God called Joshua into service and prepared him to become the leader of Israel.  It was Joshua who, after all those years of wondering in the desert, led the people over the Jordan River to take possession of the Promised Land. 

 

God has a plan and a purpose for everyone who follows Him.  Perhaps you feel you are in the bullpen, looking out, longing to move ahead in your walk with the Lord.  Please understand that the time you spend warming up in the bullpen is so very important!  It is there God teaches you patience, hones your skills, and prepares you for things you can’t even imagine.  He knows that before we are ready to enter the game, we must first spend time warming up, making sure we are ready to accept the task He has for us.   

 

Wherever you are in your walk today with the Lord I pray you will let Him lead you and guide you.  I pray you will be patient and will listen to His call on your life.  The call will come soon enough for you to enter the game and take the position God has for you.  Are you warming up in the bullpen today?  Will you be ready to enter the game when the call comes? Who knows, it might just come today.