During one baseball game, our lead-off batter got a hit and was on first base. It’s exciting to be in the coach’s box down the third base line in the first inning with your lead-off man on first and your best hitter at the plate. I gave the steal sign, yet my player stayed at first base. On the next pitch, I gave the steal sign again. Again he didn’t jump as the pitcher released the ball. Then, the batter hit a line shot to the fence, and I was filled with a mixture of emotions. I was excited that we had back-to-back hits, but on the other side, had my lead-off hitter gotten the signal, he could have walked into home plate.

After the game, as we mingled around, I commented to my lead-off man, “You know you missed a sign tonight.” “I did? When?” he responded. “When you were on first. I gave you the steal sign.” “Oh, I saw that,” he said. “I just didn’t want to go. I didn’t want to get thrown out.”

We often relate that way to God. We get to first and are satisfied. We don’t interact with God and pay attention to what He says and we miss the sign. We miss what God is trying to do in our lives and what He is working out for the bigger purpose of His kingdom. We are content to be at first base and stay there. Or we do see the sign and we know what God wants and expects, but we think we know better than Him. And so we sit at first base, unwilling to obey.

God is working to accomplish a much bigger purpose in our lives and in His kingdom. We can miss it by not paying attention or by disobedience. As a result, we run the risk of missing His greater purpose.