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"But Israel will be saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you will never be put to shame or disgraced, to ages everlasting." (Isaiah 45:17)

The Baseball Major League playoffs begin this week.  The World Series is not far away.   

Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play major league baseball.  Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium. Other players would yell at him, stomp on his feet and kick him.

While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error.  The fans began to ridicule him.  He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered.  Then, shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him.  He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd.  The fans grew quiet.  Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

We are sometimes like Jackie Robinson, full of shame. Sometimes, like Jackie, our shame is from nothing we've done. Sometimes, our shame is from our own sin and guilt - and just like Pee Wee Reese, Jesus comes and slips his arm around us, and bears our shame for us.

"Therefore, there is now no comdemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 8:1)

"My hand will always be with him, and My arm will strengthen him." (Psalm 89:21)

-brett blair