Keep your eye on the ball is a phrase that has been uttered by everyone who has ever played catch or pitched a ball to a child.  As a coach in youth leagues and High School sports, I can’t possible count the times I’ve spoke, yelled, or screamed the phrase.  Yet every time you watch a sporting event at any level, professionals included, you will witness a play where the athlete failed to keep his or her “eye on the ball”.

We often live our lives the same way. We wander around doing this or that and fail to focus on what our objective is.  Business meetings fly off on tangents that have nothing to do with the purpose of the meeting.  Discussions get sided tracked to the point that no one remembers what was being discussed.  We run the Rat Race and forget what it is we are chasing.  All we know is that the days are too short, we are too busy, and there is never enough time to accomplish the things we want to get done.  This applies to our work, home, school, and especially our spiritual lives.  The Apostle Paul wrote the following to the Church at  Phillipi;

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

What does that have to do with keeping your eye on the ball?  Just like a child trying to catch a ball, if you don’t stay focused on what you are doing you will fail.  Many times we go through our spiritual lives wandering and drifting along.  Not paying attention to what we are thinking or doing.  What kinds of thoughts and ideas we put into our heads.  Work all day, radio on the way home, more work, or a relaxing night in front of the television.  Catch some comedies, maybe a movie or two.  Nothing wrong with that, just drifting along, untill we find ourselves in a situation or temptation that we need God’s help.  But where did he go?  He was here just a while ago…  God didn’t move, he didn’t leave, you just lost track of him.  Forgot how to stay in touch.  Forgot that he was your best friend.  You took your eye off the ball… and you missed.

Well this post is getting longer than it should.. so I’ll continue it another night.  Maybe tomorrow??  Who knows?

 Love and God Bless,

Keith