A Fluke

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement
A Fluke

After a year with few live sporting events to watch, it was fun to attend a minor league baseball game. Fast-throwing young pitchers made base hits hard to attain, but occasionally a strong fellow managed to slam the ball with power. Yet able fielders with strong throwing arms made it hard to score a run. We sat just behind the box seats to the left of home plate. The score was close and kept our attention. We were watching when a batter connected with the ball with a sharp, cracking sound. The bat soared from his hands as he ran for first base. Like a missile, the bat struck the protective netting between the field and the people in the stands. The small end of the bat hit the mesh first, at just the right spot, to shove its way through the mesh hole. The force was so great it stretched the mesh to allow the larger end to also pass through. The velocity was so great it swept over the people in the box seats and slammed across the top of the head of the woman seated on the first row behind them and brushed across the check bone of the woman behind her before it lost its speed. Mouth open, we sat in shocked incredulity. This was the play that decided the winner of the game, but all of us in this area missed the running of the bases to score the winning run. We sat in stunned astonishment from what we had just seen. How could what we witnessed ever happen? The startled pause at the fluke we had just seen quickly turned to worried concern for those who were struck. Just as amazingly, the ladies escaped serious injury. An ice pack was all that they needed before they went home with only a temporary bump and bruises remaining as witness of the impact. That remarkable incident made an unforgettable memory for the all of us in sight of it. The rest of the stadium probably didn’t even know about it, but we aren’t likely to forget it.

Our Christian walk with God is a bit like that. When we hear a remarkable testimony of something wonderful or amazing God did, when we hear of something that defies the laws of nature, we are left with a memory that impacts us long beyond what we heard. God is real! We’ve encountered tangible evidences of His presence, His protection, His power and love. God, help us recognize You as we go about our ordinary days in this extraordinary life You give us on earth. Help us see You in the flukes that happen in our presence. Help us use those remarkable events to tell others about how amazing You are. Also help us see you in the ordinary things and stay faithful to tell others so that we are all encouraged in Your love.