Romans 7:17-25 (The Message)
“…I need something more! For if I know the law but still can't keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge. I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.
For Christmas I want a Josh Hamilton jersey. Inside sources tell me it is on the way. I have been reading the story of Josh Hamilton, the phenom baseball player for the Texas Rangers who dazzled a New York crowd last July in the Home run derby by putting on quite the show. His story is gut wrenching. He went from a charmed life to complete despair in drug addiction to recovery in Jesus Christ then back into Major League baseball. Josh Hamilton is a real life “Roy Hobbs”. Roy Hobbs was the fictional character in the movie “The Natural” that starred Robert Redford back in the 80’s. Hobbs had a gift to play baseball at a level head and shoulders above everybody else. When he was asked how he wanted to be remembered he said: “When people see me walking down the street I want them to say there goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was.” In the story Hobbs’ career was side tracked when a crazy woman tragically shot him. The body of the story is his triumphant comeback into baseball.
When Josh Hamilton was 6 years old he was so good they had to make an exception to the little league rules of his hometown and allow him to play on his older brother’s 11-year-old team. Needless to say Josh was good. So good that out of High school he was the #1 pick in the 1999 draft and was given the largest signing bonus ever.
Josh was quickly making his way to the majors when a back injury sidelined him. To make a long story short Josh started down a path of addictive self-destruction and drugs. Josh paid a huge price for his drug addiction. His money was gone, his family was severed, and his career was down the toilet. In his book “Beyond Belief” he tells about how his Grandmother took him in when he had nothing left and no one to turn to and helped him down the road to recovery. While living with his Grandmother Josh gave his life over to Jesus and asked for Christ’s help not so he could play ball again, not even for the sake of his family, but to find real hope and lasting purpose.
Eventually Josh found his way back to the baseball diamond and ultimately on top of his profession. As his triumphal comeback continues, I assume that Josh has to battle his addictive nature everyday. I bet he realizes that he is one step or one choice away from falling prey to drugs all over again. We have all read stories about people who struggle with addiction. Many of them “get clean” for a while only to find themselves back in the struggle all over again. Yet here is the beauty of it all. God takes a messed up, shipwrecked man who threw away everything for drugs and gives him mercy and grace and a platform to help others find the road to recovery in the only One who can truly help, Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. NLT
I am glad God rescued Josh. I admire his humility and wince at his frailty. I am glad God rescued me for I am aware everyday of my own battles and frailty. Like Paul wrote: “I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does.’ Josh Hamilton understands this. I feel a kinship with his frailty and that his why I want his jersey for Christmas…
Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens our confident expectation of salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. NLT
