Don't Quit

September 8, 1990. The Texas Rangers were hosting the Kansas City Royals at Arlington Stadium. 34,412 fans were watching these two teams battle.

During the second inning, Bo Jackson, a fierce hitter for the Royals smashed Nolan Ryan’s first pitch to him right back at the mound. And it wasn’t pretty. Ryan misplayed the baseball and the line drive hit him right in the mouth. Ryan’s lip was split wide open and there was blood everywhere. Amazingly, he refused to leave the mound. With a shirt stained with blood, and a busted and swollen lip, he pitched to the 7th inning. The Rangers went on to win the game 2 – 1.

Crazy? Yes. Tough, hard-nosed baseball? You bet. Nolan’s picture from that day is hung everywhere as a reminder to keep “the fight” in you. To “get up” and keep doing battle.

The writer of Proverbs understood this. Proverbs 24:16 says, “For a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again.” Wow. Can you imagine getting knocked down seven times and still getting back up? It sounds like the fight between Rocky Balboa and the Russian in Rocky IV! The Apostle Paul quoted Jesus when he felt his knees buckle from the pressures and pain in his life. II Corinthians 12:9, “My GRACE is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Catch this, Paul went on to say that he was glad when he felt weak, because that is when he knew just how strong the power of Christ is. That’s what kept him in the game.

When life delivers those devastating blows, resolve to get up to stay in the fight. How? With God’s Grace, and in His Strength.

Source: AACC