Lance Cormier -- Isaiah 41:13
This evening my son, Shawn, and I were watching our beloved Tampa Bay Rays take on the Cleveland Indians. It was somewhere in the middle of the game where one of Tampa’s middle relievers, Lance Cormier, was working hard on the mound trying to keep the Indians from scoring more runs. My son then noticed the passage Isaiah 41:13 written on the thumb of Cormier’s glove. Immediately, I pulled out my blackberry storm to look up the passage (no, I did not have the passage memorized!). I was fascinated as I read, “For I hold you by your right hand— I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.’”
I couldn’t help but chuckle as I realized why he chose these powerful words. Obviously, he has chosen this verse because to him it says that God is holding his right hand, his pitching hand, and God gives him confidence and chases away fear as God promises to help him. My seminary professors would probably, no, definitely object to this prooftext and rightly so and yet it is impressive at the same time. As I see it Lance is striving to fulfill the words of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Whether pitching on the mound, cleaning toilets, parenting children, preaching, leading a corporation, or anything that we do in life we are to bring God into the situation to work His will in and through our lives. God desires to accomplish His perfect will in and through our lives as we submit every area of our lives to His will! God longs to be our strength and walk with us every step of the way.
Incidently, in case you were wondering the Rays came back from the biggest deficit in the history of the franchise, 0-7, to win the game 8-7 with BJ Upton’s walk-off homer. Cormier’s pitching stopped the momentum of the Indians and gave the Rays a chance to overcome overwhelming odds. Go Rays!
2 Comments
May 16, 2009 at 7:19 am
… And his warm up music is Matt Redman’s “You Never Let Go”
May 16, 2009 at 9:09 am
That’s great. He’s got it all figured out. Great for him!