The Father's Voice

 This year our 6-year-old grandson played T-ball for the first time.  It is a different game. They are just learning the rudiments. The little guys and girls swing at the ball as many times as necessary until they hit the ball . There are no strikes. There are no outs. After hitting the ball they run to first, then second, third and home. The players are positioned and taught to remain ready.  Catch the ball, if you can, throw it as best you can.  Sometimes they fight over the ball and hurl it toward a base, any base.  The runners are never called out. We cheer them on. Parents, grandparents, even siblings, as if they were scoring a walk off home run. And they beam with pride.

 They will soon graduate to Little League which is a bit more challenging. Strikes are called. Outs are made.  The pressure is on.  Every year a similar scenario plays itself out.  A 10-year-old boy steps to the plate in the final inning.  He must score if the team is to win. Everyone knows he cannot hit. The coach whispers into his ear, “Don’t swing. The pitcher is wild. You will get a walk.” He does exactly what the coach says.  The bat rests firmly on his shoulder and, after four balls, he is down on first. A wild pitch and he is down to second.

 Second base is unfamiliar territory. He is surrounded by the enemy.  The next batter lofts a shallow fly to right field. He starts for third, but has second thoughts and starts to retreat to second. But he knows he must get to third to score. Everyone on each side has an opinion regarding what he should do. Parents and grandparents rise to their feet. Some are shouting ‘Go back! Go back!”  Others are shouting, “Run! Run!”  The boy must decide, and in a split second.

 Then, he hears one voice above all the others, his father’s voice.  His father cups his hands to his mouth and shouts, “Run!” Immediately he hurls his body toward third base!  One voice made the difference, the father’s voice.

 We are all like the Little Leaguer on second base.  Voices come from every corner telling us what to do. Every day we face an onslaught of commercials on TV, pop ups on computers and smart phones. Everyone has opinions and advise about what we should do. But, there is only one voice that truly matters, the Father’s voice.  

 This is what Jesus taught us as a 12-year-old boy.  The Father’s voice makes the difference.  When Mary and Joseph found him in the temple after he had been missing in Jerusalem for 3 days, he said to them, “Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know I must be about the things of my Father?” (Luke 2  Later, as an adult, he said, “I speak the things I have seen from my Father,” (John 8:38). “All things I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15).

 What is the will of our Father in Heaven? What does He want us to do?  He always has our interest at heart and He always knows what is best.  Listen to Him.