Caught in a pickle 10/3/08

When I started out writing these devotions they were imagined as weekly devotionals. I have been sending them daily to get established on the blog but since I am going to be gone for a few days, todays devotion 'Caught in a pickle' will be the last one until Monday 10/6. The idea of weekly is to give those reading to take a few days for the scriptures to take hold. To think about what God is saying not for just a morning but for always. Let's give that try! Jane Ann
CAUGHT IN A PICKLE
I know you have probably been in a pickle, but have you ever been caught in a pickle? How about the term "a run down". You are probably thinking I am a pickle for even bringing this to your attention. I learned about the pickle from my grandsons. They played little league. After one game Ryan asked me very excitedly; "Did you see the pickle, grandma"? I watched the game but had no clue as to what the pickle was. Ryan left 3rd base. As the runner he headed for home plate. The catcher had the ball and ran towards Ryan. Ryan turned and started back for 3rd. The catcher threw the ball to the 3rd baseman and now Ryan was caught in a pickle. Even though Ryan was put out, he was excited about being caught in a pickle. Over 50 years ago it was called "a run down" and today the term is "caught in a pickle". Makes no difference, Ryan was caught in a pickle and survived, even while being put out.
When my brother Lynn got his drivers license, my sister Jean would take us kids to Wrigley Field to watch the Angel’s play baseball. Even now the names like Bilko, Kluzewski and Roseboro, bring back memories of sitting in the old seats just beyond first base, eating tuna sandwiches and yelling until our throats were sore. A few times we went to Gilmore Field, where the home team was the Hollywood Star’s. Their stadium was about to fall down but people went there anyway and mostly had to stand because there were fewer seats than people.
Baseball used to be the game for hero’s, now it is a game for many I would consider loser’s. Character does count! It has always counted! It’s just that we are so conditioned to the ways of the world that we find ourselves being caught up in it’s ways without fully realizing it.
I suppose most of us do all we can, to be better than someone else, whether it is in sports politics or just life. The "all’s fair in love and war" has been the call, down through the ages. We feel compassion but we still walk over our competitors in order to be the victor. At any cost? I’ve been in pickles but I didn’t want to be caught. Lies are handy when we need an excuse for the fumbles we make. We don’t do something and just say that "I forgot". We talk behind the backs of those we really don’t want to hurt but they get hurt by us anyway. Doesn’t it seem like we feel we are safe running towards home plate only to find out that they know, so we turn about face and discover we have been found out there also. We are dead in the water! We need an escape route so we won’t be caught in a pickle.
I believe the escape route is Jesus Christ. I have heard it said that it is easy to become a Christian. I think that is a careless statement. The idea of surrendering your life to Christ, facing up to your evil ways, making a public confession and submitting to baptism requires much courage and humility. Perhaps it should be said that it is simple. Being able to receive forgiveness of sins and to receive the hope of eternal life are reasonably simple. However, even the simple plan of salvation as found in the New Testament has been condensed into a prayer that man says gives you the assurance of salvation.
When I was a child the steps were made very clear that even a child could understood and recognized the importance of each one. Hear - Romans 10:17; Believe - John 3: 16; Repent - Acts 17:30; Confess - Matthew 16:16; Be Baptized; Acts 2:38; Live a Godly Life - Hebrews 5:9. It is easy to understand but hard to do! It is not one step but many steps. Many scriptures are given and each one says; "you will be saved". I call it a process! A process given by God’s word and it requires our full attention so that we do not get caught in the pickle of life. Accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior, was the best game plan of my life. I praise God daily that I am no longer caught in a pickle, but am free to be the kind of person God has created me to be.
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 1/24/08