Failure Need NOT Be Final

A little boy was walking through his back yard, wearing his baseball cap, and holding a ball and bat.  He was talking to himself.  "I'm the greatest hitter in the world!"  Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.....  Strike one!

Undaunted, he picked up the ball, threw it into the air and swung at it again – and missed.....  Strike two!

He paused a moment to examine the ball carefully.  He said to himself, "I'm the greatest hitter who ever lived!"  He threw the ball into the air, swung at it and missed it again.....  Strike three!

But rather than be discouraged about "striking out," the boy jubilantly exclaimed, "WOW!  I'm the greatest PITCHER in the world!" *

You and I can relate very well to that little boy's experiences.  You and I have made mistakes in our past, "for all have sinned" (Romans 3:23).  Strike one!  You and I continue to "fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23b).  Strike two!  We not only break the law of God (1 John 3:4), but we also fail to do what we should – "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does NOT do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).  
Strike three! 

But thanks be to God, our failures need NOT be final!

Because of His GREAT love for us, God sent His Son to pay the price for our sins 
(2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24).  He forgives those who will: believe in 
Jesus (Acts 16:31), repent of their sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men 
(Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) in the name of Christ (Acts 2:38). 
He will continue to forgive those who will: continue to follow Him – those who, when they "strike out," repent of their sin, confess it, and ask God for forgiveness 
(1 John 1:7-9).

Because of our sin, we have ALL "struck out."  But, thanks to Jesus Christ, the "game" is not over.  As long as we're living, we STILL have the opportunity to accept God's forgiveness on His terms.  In fact, as Allan Eldridge has stated…

"The ULTIMATE FAILURE - is failure to turn back to God in repentance, seeking His forgiveness."

We all will have our "strikes" against us, but let's not fail to learn from them and allow them to be the means whereby we come to God and make a fresh start.  
Thank God that our failures need NOT be final.....  

Thank God we can start anew!

God bless you,

David A. Sargent / Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

*Adapted from "Failure is Not Final," by Allan Eldridge

To Subscribe to "Living Water" send a blank e-mail to:

                      HTML version:  subscribe-livingwater@lyris.dundee.net
                   TEXT version:  subscribe-livingwater-text@lyris.dundee.net

Follow this link to locate the church of Christ nearest you: www.churchsearch.org

Archived issues of "Living Water" can be accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org