The Babe. No, not the movie featuring a pig. Not even the Babe of Bethlehem, whose birth we celebrated last month. As a lifelong New York Yankees baseball fan, I’m referring to the Babe, George Herman ‘Babe’ Ruth. Now don’t moan and groan, for I do have a spiritual point to make, and it’s not on the top of my head as you might think!

The greatness of this less-than-morally sterling sports figure has been analyzed in various ways. It seems that his hand-eye coordination was exceptional, almost unparalleled. His eyes and hands could track that round projectile, aimed his way, so that his bat hits the ball at just the right trajectory, and off it flies out of ballparks from St. Louis to Detroit to Philadelphia…at all of them in those bygone days.

So what could this hand-eye business have to do with the Bible, let alone my faith? Good questions. Could it be that you have not read Psalm 123 today? Maybe you should? Then you’d notice the repetition of words that this psalmist uses– ‘Eyes…hand…eyes…hand…eyes…mercy’. There’s a big, fancy word for this poetic technique. I’ll save you the bother of mentioning it.

This echoing method (okay, you wormed it out of me! — anadiplosis) emphasizes something that should not be overlooked or forgotten. Here it’s the ‘eyes’ and ‘hands’ of servants to masters, maidservants to their mistresses, and therefore us to God. We look up to Him. Eyes focused on our Lord. Our gaze fixed on Jesus.

Looking for His helping hands. Not the back of His hand in anger, but His loving and compassionate ones. Our relationship with God supports us as we come to life’s home plate, facing deadly fastballs, curveballs, screwballs, and spitballs to knock us down or strike us out.

When our love for the Lord registers deep within, filling us with gratitude for all God has done and still does, something happens. It’s better than a homerun. Mercy from our Great God and Lord Jesus Christ, clears the outfield walls–‘…so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he has mercy upon us. Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us…’ (Ps. 123: 2-3).

God’s tender care, compassion, and understanding get pitched our way as we run around life’s bases. His mercy carries us along, every step of the way, until we cross home plate, nestled safe and secure in heaven’s dugout with our Lord and those countless other teammates managed by our Lord Jesus.

So, as it turns out, this week’s devotional is about the Babe of Bethlehem. It should be, don’t you think? Seems like I’m getting ready for the start of a certain sports season!

Lord Jesus, I love you with all my heart. Thank you for making me your own. Amen.