Praise in the Dugout

Orel Herschiser pitched an unbelievable 1988 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Following a complete game shutout in August, he pitched multiple shutout innings and hurled five more complete games through the end of the regular season. He did not allow his opponents to score and earned run in 59 consecutive innings. When the Dodgers faced the New York Mets in the National League play-offs, Orel continued to dominant hitters, leading the Dodgers to victory by pitching more than 24 innings, crowned by a complete game shutout in the final game! In the World Series his complete gave victory over the Oakland A’s in game five clinched the series for the Dodgers. No wonder Orel was awarded the Cy Young award and two MVP awards, one for the National League play-offs and the other for the World Series.

During the play-offs the TV cameras zoomed in on this legend in the making. They caught Orel in the dugout between innings singing softly to himself. Unable to make out the tune, the announcers merely commented that Orel’s record certainly gave him something to sing about. Johnny Carson replayed that tape on the “Tonight Show” a few days later when Orel appeared. Johnny asked him what song he had been singing during the game and if Orel would sing it again right then and there. the audience roared its approval over Orel’s embarrassed reluctance. So on national TV, Orel softly sang the tune TV crews had barely caught on tape:

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below;
Praise Him above ye heavenly host,
Praised Father, son and Holy Ghost. Amen.”

Orel Herschiser was simply doing what Christians do – praising God for everything that he’s achieved. Paul urges the Colossians, “Whatever you do… do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (3:17). Not only at church, but in the in-between moments, thank God for your gifts, talents and every blessing you have – he gave them to you. - Beacon

The Packaging

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted. As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car.

Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his Father called him into his private study and told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angrily, he raised his voice to his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was a very successful businessman.

He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away and had willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. In tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. His father had carefully underlined a verse: Matthew 7:11 “And if ye, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Heavenly Father, who is in heaven, give to those who ask Him?”

As he read those words, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words… PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss God’s blessings because they are not packaged as we expected? - Beacon