I have spent some time this spring watching boys play baseball. I was struck while watching these games that there is an analogy between the old covenant and baseball. These boys practice hard and set goals for themselves. Maximum effort is required, and improvement in skills is apparent. When the players do well, and the team wins, there is a rush of enthusiasm which is delightful to experience.
Competition is glorious.
Making demands of yourself and seeing improvement is wonderful. But even the best players get hits only one-third of the times they come to bat. No team wins all of its games. There is always somebody better. There are momentary mountaintop experiences of exhilaration, but all too often there are strikeouts, errors, and team losses.