Sports Spectrum Daily Devotional: Friday, June 5

Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” — Psalm 37:4

Focus Shift

With baseball season currently on pause and our focus shifted to sending prayers, compassion and hope to healthcare workers, those fighting the battle to overcome COVID and individuals struggling in isolation and experiencing loneliness, we pray that God would be near to all who call on His name. In this time of trouble, we ask God to fill each person with His eternal love, peace and care.

For many baseball fans, spring usually marks a period of excitement and hope with a new season beginning, ballparks buzzing with energy, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the sun radiating down on lemonade vendors calling out in the stands. Without the normalcy of a season beginning, many players, coaches and fans may be struggling with not being able to fill themselves up with the love and energy of the game during this time.

However, just as all of us fans and lovers of the game usually delight ourselves in the game (and with that naturally come desires for hot dogs, peanuts, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” and bringing your glove to the park in the hopes of catching a foul ball), now is the perfect time for each of us to focus that same energy on delighting ourselves in the Lord. For when we focus on resting, trusting and being in relationship with Him, naturally our heart will overflow with desires to bring hope, peace, love, compassion, mercy, justice and care to everyone around us to further His Kingdom.

While baseball season is on pause, let’s take time to appreciate all the desires that typically overflow in our hearts from delighting in the game each spring, and focus that love on our Savior. Let’s delight in Him even more during this time so that the desires of our hearts will overflow with love for Christ and bring hope, love, peace and His light to everyone who finds themselves in a time of darkness during this pandemic.

— Ryan Vilfer

If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to
devotionals@sportsspectrum.com.

Click here for all Sports Spectrum Daily Devotionals

>> Subscribe to Sports Spectrum Magazine for more devotionals and stories where sports and faith connect <<