God blesses us through our everyday efforts

In his book, “Win the Day,” author Mark Batterson writes about the practice schedule of a Brooklyn Dodger named George “The Shotgun” Shuba. Shuba was featured in the book “The Boys of Summer.” The author of that book, Roger Kahn, described George Shuba’s swing as being “as natural as a smile.” Ole “Shotgun” Shuba laughed at Kahn’s description of his swing because nothing could be further from the truth. During the off-season, Shuba would swing a weighted baseball bat six hundred times a day. Back before there were tens of millions of dollars in contracts to play baseball, Shuba worked his off-season job every day, and then at night, he would work out to prepare for baseball season.

Every night, Shuba would take his weighted bat and he would swing it sixty times then make an “x” on a prepared chart. After ten rounds of sixty swings, Shuba would turn in for the night. There is a term used called “Ten Times Thinking.” That is where you strive to make a ten percent improvement in whatever you set your mind to. George “The Shotgun” Shuba believed in “Ten Times Improvement.” This is where you set goals that are ten times greater than what you think could ever be possible.

If there is something called natural talent or ability, I believe your natural ability can only get you so far. When I was in full-time youth ministry years ago, students would come to me for prayer asking if I would pray that God would help them with their grades. I would say, “Sure I will pray for you. However, I would like to know what plan you are putting in place, what discipline are you beginning for God to bless?”

If a student came for prayer and then just continued to play their XBox all night, most likely God will not honor their prayer for their grades to change. I have discovered “God helps those who help themselves” is not in the bible but I do believe like George “The Shotgun” Shuba if you want to get better you have to swing your “weighted bat” more than most people would. I do believe God blesses our faithfulness.

The scripture says in Habakkuk 2:1,“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts (ramparts are walls); I will look to see what he will say to me, and what I am to give to this complaint. (or in other words what answer I will give when I am rebuked).” Most likely the rebuke was for the sin of pride. We must not move ahead of God or try to do things in our own power. We must wait for God’s instruction or in other words God’s vision.

Verse two says, “Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald (or whoever reads it) may run with it.’” God’s vision and directions are to be written down because they do not come to pass unless we the believer who receives a vision, runs with it by faith. To run with it we must have our lives in a routine, a divine order so we can accomplish what the Lord has for us.

In Ephesians 3:20, “Now to God who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, we are the body of Christ and God works through us.”

Now let’s look at Habakkuk 2:3, “Revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and not delay.”

We are to walk in God’s will and most of the time we are walking in God’s will through normal everyday circumstances. We wait on God, we receive his Word, we then walk in faith. The appointed time is the period of time that is in the center of his will. I encourage you to continue to swing your “weighted bat” and have a great week!

Dave Truncone is the pastor of First Assembly of God Church in Van Buren. He is married to Heidi and they have two daughters, Hannah, and Abigail. They live in Van Buren.