It is always fun to teach little children new games.  Whiffle ball or softball begins with the same challanges.  The first challange for my girls was making contact with the ball.  When the ball finally managed to hit the bat for the first time, everyone watching would applaud and cheer.  Once contact was made, to the surprise of everyone (even the little person batting) someone would yell, "RUN!!!"  There would be a  pause for thought, then she would take off running, but where she would run seemed completely random.  Run meant run and so run she did.  Finally with a little herding and coaching she would make it down to first base then to second, third and finally home plate.

Where do you run when life hits you head on?  It may be something that has been hanging over your head for a long time, or something that suddenly shatters you daily rhythms.  Our instinct screams for us to run, and run we will, but where?

May I suggest that like a child who learns to run to first base when the ball is hit, that we quickly learn to run to God in prayer when life hits.  We have so many other places we will first go before we just "stop, drop and pray."  For most of us this is a slow learn.  Our first instinct is to DO something, anything.  But as we mature in the Faith through the years, like King David, we learn a new response, which is to first inquire of the Lord.

The night before Jesus selected disciples to follow him he stayed up the whole night in prayer.  The next morning he called them, even Judas.  Was that a mistake? Did Jesus mess up? I don't think so.  After a night of prayer Jesus invites his future betrayer into his ministry team.  Later, I am sure that Satan tried to convince Jesus that he had made a horrific mistake in calling Judas, but Jesus could always go back to his night of prayer and remember the leading of his Father.  No mistake!  It was all in the Father's plan.  Jesus knew because he spent time with the Father before he went into action.

Babe Ruth hit many home runs.  For each one he hit, he began by running to 1st base before 2nd then 3rd, finally he would come to home plate.  Do you want God to use you for His great things that bring Him glory?  Begin by going to him in prayer. 

... Ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened.

Peace