Multiple Errors

In 1895, Mike Grady played professional baseball for the Phillies.  Grady, normally a catcher, was playing third base in a particularly memorable – and painful -- game for him.  As the story goes (see The Very Worst In Sports), he bobbled an easy grounder allowing the batter to reach first base (first error).  His throw to first was wild (second error), allowing the runner to advance.  The runner tried to stretch it to third.  The first baseman's throw to Grady at third was in time, but he dropped it (third error).  Finally, the runner was racing home and Grady's throw sailed over 
the catcher's head into the grandstand (fourth error) - ALL in one single play!
Grady, due to his FOUR ERRORS, allowed an “in-the-park” home run! *

Drawing from Grady’s record on that day in 1895, Neal Pollard insightfully comments: “Have YOU ever mishandled a situation?  More than that, have you ever compounded one mistake with one, two, or more on top of the first one?  If you have been around for any length of time, you have.  Maybe you lied to cover up some sin and felt compelled to add a few more lies to it.  Maybe you lost your temper, then cursed, and maybe even escalated it beyond that.  Temptation has any number of ways of getting into our way and really botching up things.”

Each one of us has made errors, even MULTIPLE ERRORS: errors in judgment, errors in word, and errors in deed.  “For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  Therefore, ALL of us need forgiveness and a second (or third, or more) chance.

Because of His love for us, God offers forgiveness and a NEW START in life through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for our sins, making forgiveness possible (Ephesians 1:7).  The Lord WILL forgive those who submit in trusting obedience to His will: believing in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turning from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessing Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized (immersed) in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).  

Then, as we continue to struggle with errors... we may still have forgiveness if we will forsake those sins and ask God to forgive us.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 
(1 John 1:9).

Our errors don’t have to ultimately DEFINE us or DEFEAT us.  Forgiveness is found through Jesus, -IF we will just trust and obey Him.

Won’t you?

David A. Sargent, Minister

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

* Neal Pollard, “Four On One Play!”  Daily Bread.  Bear Valley church of Christ in Denver , Colorado . http://www.bearvalleycofc.org/

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