Guiding Angels
Stories
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit
Series V, Cycle C
Object:
When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you." Elisha said, "Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit." He responded, "You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not." (vv. 9-10)
Thanksgiving weekend 1994, Trey Dodson was in a car crash in Darlington, South Carolina, that left the most popular boy in St. John's High forever seventeen. The faculty, students, and friends were devastated.
Young Trey Dodson was the star pitcher on his school's baseball team. He was buried wearing his Blue Devil uniform. At the graveside, his teammates vowed -- in his honor -- to make the 1995 season count.
When the season rolled around, each player wore Trey's No. 22 as a patch on their own uniforms in his memory. They began to make good on their vow as they won games that the players and coaches had never expected them to win.
When they played the Keenan Raiders, they were down 2-0 in the first inning before the determined Blue Devils came back with a four-run rally in the fourth which brought them the victory.
The Flora Falcons were tough opponents, but two Blue Devil runs in the bottom of the seventh sealed the St. John win.
Game after game, they won. Whatever the weather, each game just "came together," and the Blue Devils went on to do what they had to do. Even the loss to Lake City only served as a wake-up call as the Blue Devils bounced back to win all nine of their remaining region games. It began to be whispered in the dugout and in the grandstand that the team had an "angel in the outfield." And, after each rally, spectators would be on their feet, screaming, "Trey! Trey!" No doubt about it -- St. John's had a ten-man team.
Other teams had more muscle, but none had more motivation. St. John's had never had such a successful season. Five batters hit .444 or better, and the replacement pitcher, Chris Spivey, pitched better than he knew how!
Then came the state championship game against Dutch Fork one week before graduation. With the spirit of Trey Dodson having carried the Devils so far, there was no way his teammates were going to lose. They won decisively, 5-to-l. They were state champions!
But there's more. Trey's father, Barry Dodson, is the crew chief for race car driver, Kyle Petty. And June's big 500 race in Dover, Delaware, came on Barry's birthday. After a winless streak of 59 races, Kyle Petty won. Barry Dodson was convinced there was also "an angel in the infield" at Dover Downs.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when people know what they want -- when they are focused on achieving a goal. We sometimes need to reach for the stars and believe.
Such is the case with Elisha. Elijah offered to do something for Elisha before being taken up to heaven. Elisha requested, "Please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit." What he was asking for was the right of the firstborn -- a double portion. In essence he is asking to be Elijah's prophetic successor.
Elijah responded, "You have asked a hard thing." Why not just ask for a baseball team who lost their starting pitcher to win the state championship? Or a race car driver who has lost 59 consecutive races to win a major race?
And yet it can happen. The scripture says that after Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha received his mentor's mantle -- the sign of his prophetic office. He achieved the very thing he sought, and became a great prophet of God. Perhaps Elijah became Elisha's guiding "angel."
What is your focus? What is your goal? If it is God's will, the Spirit will guide you.
(Paul Harvey, "High school has a '10-man' baseball team," 1995 Creators Syndicate)
Thanksgiving weekend 1994, Trey Dodson was in a car crash in Darlington, South Carolina, that left the most popular boy in St. John's High forever seventeen. The faculty, students, and friends were devastated.
Young Trey Dodson was the star pitcher on his school's baseball team. He was buried wearing his Blue Devil uniform. At the graveside, his teammates vowed -- in his honor -- to make the 1995 season count.
When the season rolled around, each player wore Trey's No. 22 as a patch on their own uniforms in his memory. They began to make good on their vow as they won games that the players and coaches had never expected them to win.
When they played the Keenan Raiders, they were down 2-0 in the first inning before the determined Blue Devils came back with a four-run rally in the fourth which brought them the victory.
The Flora Falcons were tough opponents, but two Blue Devil runs in the bottom of the seventh sealed the St. John win.
Game after game, they won. Whatever the weather, each game just "came together," and the Blue Devils went on to do what they had to do. Even the loss to Lake City only served as a wake-up call as the Blue Devils bounced back to win all nine of their remaining region games. It began to be whispered in the dugout and in the grandstand that the team had an "angel in the outfield." And, after each rally, spectators would be on their feet, screaming, "Trey! Trey!" No doubt about it -- St. John's had a ten-man team.
Other teams had more muscle, but none had more motivation. St. John's had never had such a successful season. Five batters hit .444 or better, and the replacement pitcher, Chris Spivey, pitched better than he knew how!
Then came the state championship game against Dutch Fork one week before graduation. With the spirit of Trey Dodson having carried the Devils so far, there was no way his teammates were going to lose. They won decisively, 5-to-l. They were state champions!
But there's more. Trey's father, Barry Dodson, is the crew chief for race car driver, Kyle Petty. And June's big 500 race in Dover, Delaware, came on Barry's birthday. After a winless streak of 59 races, Kyle Petty won. Barry Dodson was convinced there was also "an angel in the infield" at Dover Downs.
It is amazing what can be accomplished when people know what they want -- when they are focused on achieving a goal. We sometimes need to reach for the stars and believe.
Such is the case with Elisha. Elijah offered to do something for Elisha before being taken up to heaven. Elisha requested, "Please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit." What he was asking for was the right of the firstborn -- a double portion. In essence he is asking to be Elijah's prophetic successor.
Elijah responded, "You have asked a hard thing." Why not just ask for a baseball team who lost their starting pitcher to win the state championship? Or a race car driver who has lost 59 consecutive races to win a major race?
And yet it can happen. The scripture says that after Elijah was taken up to heaven, Elisha received his mentor's mantle -- the sign of his prophetic office. He achieved the very thing he sought, and became a great prophet of God. Perhaps Elijah became Elisha's guiding "angel."
What is your focus? What is your goal? If it is God's will, the Spirit will guide you.
(Paul Harvey, "High school has a '10-man' baseball team," 1995 Creators Syndicate)
