Take Me Out to the Ballgame

A few weekends ago about seventy friends and family members headed out to Atlanta to see the Braves play the Cardinals. Well, truth be known, some of us went to see the game, but the majority of us went to see my son- in-law, who is Willie Robertson, The Buck Commander and one of the stars of the reality show by the same name, sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at the seventh inning stretch.

It was a much anticipated event and many have asked me since, "Is he a good singer?" thinking that is the reason he was asked to sing. My answer remains the same, "He does sing pretty good, but this wasn't about his singing ability, it was more about his celebrity in the hunting world and the fact that he is quite a character." Due to Willie's reality show, event planners had seen evidence that he could entertain the crowd of 40,000 plus that day.

They were right. It was successful from everyone's angle. Although just a beat behind the pre-recorded music, Willie led the crowd with gusto and finished with a strong, "For it's one, two, three strikes your out at the old ball game!" The crowd cheered and our little "drop in the bucket" seventy fans from Willie's hometown smiled at the accomplishment of our hometown hero.

I am rarely in a stadium that the scripture in Hebrews 12 doesn't come to mind. "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."

The word "surrounded" is perfectly depicted in a stadium. Synonyms for surrounded are words like encircled, bounded, bordered and enclosed. A stadium is all of those words and Willie stood right on top of the dugout, surrounded by fans of both the Braves and the Cardinals, most who had never heard the name Willie Robertson before that day. But, they were all witnesses that day to his singing ability and his connection to the duck and buck hunting world.

Another question I've been asked is this one, "Was he nervous?" And I have to say, "Yes, he was." But, he threw off everything that could hinder him from performing this task which he considered a high honor and persevered in front of the fans, friends, and family who were pulling for him. The picture I posted with this blog is one of my favorites from that day. After he sang, his wife, children, and other family members encircled him and told him, "You did great!"

The previous scripture I mentioned is found in Chapter 12, but in Chapter 11 of Hebrews we are told the names of men and women who have walked this road of life before us and are witnesses to God's goodness and power. In verse 39, it says each of these men and women were commended for their faith.

Just as Willie stood, surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, we are also. Moses, Abraham, Sarah, David, Rahab and many more have gone before us and now say to us by their example, "You can do it! We've walked the walk you are walking and we surround you with our message of hope, love, grace, mercy, peace. Keep up the fight and, in the end, you too will be commended."

Just think, one day we will walk through the gates of heaven greeted, surrounded, encircled by those who have walked before us and they will say, "YOU DID GREAT!"

Have a great day. Live today God's way.

Hugs, Chrys