God's Coaching #261

God's Coaching #261

Think you’ve played on a bad team before? Think again. At least you didn’t play baseball for the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. On this date in 1899, the Spiders registered the final win of their historically atrocious season, beating the Washington Senators 5–4 in the first game of a doubleheader. (They lost the second game 8–5.) It was a short-lived moment of joy. Overall, the Spiders finished the season at 20–134—the worst record in the history of Major League Baseball.

Among the wreckage of that season, the Spiders endured six losing streaks of at least 11 games, including a 24-game slide. And they won consecutive games only once. Their best pitcher, Jim Hughey, led the National League . . . in losses, with 30. Their best hitter, second baseman Joe Quinn, only batted .286, with no home runs. The Spiders finished dead last in the National League standings—35 games behind 11th-place Washington (54–98) and a jaw-dropping 84 games out of first. The Spiders were one of four teams to be removed from the National League at the end of the 1899 season.

What’s the Score?

Life can sometimes feel like you’re on the 1899 Cleveland Spiders team—nothing goes right. Your mom forgot to pack a dessert in your lunch. Your friends made fun of your outfit. Your hamster died.

Maybe it’s worse than that. Perhaps your family is struggling to pay the bills. Or your parents are fighting constantly.

We’ve all experienced times when our world seems to be falling apart. King David certainly did. That’s why he wrote Psalm 40. It was a testament to God’s protection and faithfulness in the midst of great troubles. As David found out, God is always with us, even during our darkest hour. He will never leave us. If we call on him, he will answer and give us help from above.

On the Ball

Read Psalm 40. Write down a few of your favorite passages:

Coach’s Comment

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. Psalm 40:1-2