Thursday; October 26

If you know much about me at all you probably know that I am a Texas Rangers fan … let me rephrase that, I am a HUGE Texas Rangers fan. Jeane and I are such adamant supporters that we spent our first anniversary at the old Arlington Stadium in 1982 and have watched them in various stadiums throughout the years. Like most diehard fans, I have experienced a lot of ups and downs, but watching this year’s team has been a lot of fun. As the 2023 Rangers prepare to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in the World Series I have done some reflecting on other good Texas teams. The last times the Rangers appeared in the World Series were in the early 2010s and one of my favorite players from those teams was an outfielder by the name of David Murphy. I was disappointed when Murphy left the Rangers for the Cleveland Indians in 2013; however, when I mentioned my appreciation to an Indians fan who was going to Arizona for Spring Training he surprised me by coming back with an autographed baseball. My David Murphy ball is one of my prized possessions, but there is something that makes it a little extra special. In addition to putting his name on the ball, he also wrote Galatians 2:21. When I looked up the reference it read, “I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.”. While this may not be the best known verse, it is a great reminder of the love of God. I am sure that Murphy worked hard to become a major league ballplayer, but it is evident that he understands that Christianity is based on grace, not reliance on what we can do to help ourselves.

As we sit at the brink of the 2023 World Series I am excited about this year’s possibilities. However, we must never lose sight of the ultimate contest – the battle between good and evil where, thanks to the grace of God, good can never be defeated!

Think About It!

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