God's Coaching #84

God's Coaching #84

Hope. The Pittsburgh Pirates haven’t enjoyed too much of that recently. But it’s something they cling to desperately each year in spring training. The Pirates entered 2011 coming off their 18th consecutive losing season. No other team in North America’s four major professional sports—Major League Baseball, the NFL, NBA, and NHL—has gone that many years without a winning record. The Philadelphia Phillies held the previous record of 16 losing seasons from 1933 to 1948.

Some seasons have been worse than others for Pittsburgh. Take 2010, for instance. The Pirates went a miserable 57–105 to finish a whopping 34 games out of first place. It was the longtime franchise’s fourth-worst record since 1890 and its most losses since a 42–112 mark in 1952. Still, every year the Pirates travel to their spring training site in Bradenton, Florida, with renewed hope that, amid their great trials, this will be the year that they enjoy their first winning season since 1992.

What’s the Score?

In the book of Lamentations, God’s people were desperate for a glimmer of hope. The word lament means “to mourn out loud.” The Bible’s book of Lamentations was a cry of sorrow and repentance to God.

In the sixth century BC, when Lamentations was probably written, things looked bleak for the Israelites. The Babylonian army had destroyed Jerusalem, the nation of Judah’s capital city, and God’s holy temple. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported thousands of Jews to Babylon. The rest were left in poverty in a war-scarred land. The people’s trials were great, and hope seemed to be in short supply.

Yet in the midst of this terrible suffering, the author of Lamentations says there was hope. How could he say such a thing? Because “the faithful love of the LORD never ends” (Lamentations 3:22). God is the author of hope. Whenever life seems out of control or things seem like they can’t get any worse, remember God’s great love for his children. After their 70 years of captivity, God restored his people. And he wants to restore us, too.

On the Ball

Draw a picture of a baseball diamond. Add a spot for each of the nine player positions. Next to each position, write down a reason we can hope in the Lord.

Coach’s Comment

I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Lamentations 3:21-22