Opening Day by Rev. Zack Martin 3/27/25
It’s opening day in Major League Baseball today!
The fields are freshly mown. The batter’s boxes and pitcher mounds are carefully measured. The foul lines have a crisp coat of paint. 162 games need to be played to make it to the playoffs and the World Series. All the players have high hopes for their season as they take the field this weekend.
I’m ready with my MLB.TV subscription. This will be a good weekend to watch the teams start their journey. As I looked up game times, I happened to see my favorite team, the Baltimore Orioles, at the top of their division! Maybe this is a good omen. They had some strong seasons over the last two years, so maybe we’re due.
Alas, the standings are only in alphabetical order because all the teams are 0-0. On opening day, everything is equal. The losing records are gone. The batting averages are all the same. Errors committed or bad calls made last year don’t count. It’s a clean slate, as we begin the season.
As a pastor I can’t help but think that opening day is like the moment we experience God’s saving grace. We call this moment justification, also known as being saved, born again, or getting right with God. Justification happens when we accept God’s love and grace for us and believe Christ was raised from the dead. We are forgiven and set free from our past. We are saved from death and given eternity!
It’s opening day for us. Our losing record is gone. Errors committed or bad calls made are let go. Our scorecard is erased or even thrown out. In fact, we’re not keeping score anymore. We are living in a new season. It’s opening day for our souls.
I pray that if you have been struggling with your faith and hope in Christ, that you’ll find your way to church. We are about the business of helping everyone have an opening day for their new season of life. Come and see us this weekend (after you watch some baseball) for another opening day for your new life. God bless you all this Lenten season as we draw near to Christ’s Easter promises.
Peace,
