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About Jesus - Steve (Stephen) Sweetman I'm
All In Joey
Votto has played first base for the Cincinnati Red Socks since 2007.
He is one of the best Canadian baseball players ever and will
certainly end up in baseball's Hall of Fame.
As of June 7, 2022, he has hit 336 home runs.
During a recent interview, he said that when it comes to playing
for the Cincinnati Reds, "I'm all in."
When I heard him say "I'm all in," that, metaphorically
speaking, hit a home run in my heart.
As a Christian serving on Team Jesus, I want to be all in.
One
reason for Joey Votto's baseball success is that he is totally focused
on the game, his mission. It's like when
I was young I recall our school teachers telling us that they required
our undivided attention. Undivided
attention for many of us seems difficult to maintain since our human tendency in all
aspects of life is to wander. Staying
focused takes a good measure of intentionality, and Joey Votto is
certainly intentional when it comes to baseball and the Reds. Talking
about being intentionally focused on the task at hand, the apostle Paul
was certainly that. He was all in.
Philippians
3:8 reads: "What is more, I
consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing
Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider
them garbage, that I may gain Christ ..." Philippians 3:12 reads: "Not that I have
already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I
press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of
me." So, here's the obvious
question. When it comes to
your God-appointed placement on Team Jesus, are you all
in or is it just an extra-curricular activity, one of many hobbies?
If you have never considered having a role to play on
Team Jesus, you have a designated spot on the team.
You have a God-given talent, a Holy Spirit inspired gift, and a
Jesus appointed ministry calling to facilitate alongside your fellow
team members. So, let's step
up to the ministry plate and be all in, just as Hebrews
12:1 tells us. "Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw
off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And
let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us ..."
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