Teaching Team

The Home Run Derby and Sanctifying the Name

By Toby Janicki  | Comments (3) | Posted on July 15, 2008

As most of the frequent readers of these blogs have figured out, I'm a baseball fan. So it should come as no surprise that I spent a few hours last night watching the home run derby. To be honest most of the time watching guys hit home runs off softball speed pitches gets old in about 10 minutes. But last night something special happened.

Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers hit 28 home runs in the first round, where as the previous record had been 24. It was exciting to see the entire crowd at Yankee stadium rooting and cheering for a non-New York player.

But that was not the most compelling part of the story. Josh Hamilton dreamed of playing major league baseball since he was a child and was a first round draft pick in 1999 by the Tampa Bay Rays. He was considered to be one of the most exciting up and coming prospects. Although he played for a short time in the minors his career became derailed in 2001 due to his addiction to heroin. To the dismay of his wife and family things were going down the tube fast. This once promising prospect was now a junky that cared about nothing more than his next high.

Then in 2005 he found Messiah and got his life back on track. He began the long road to recovery with his sights set on making the major leagues once again. In 2007 he made his major league debut with the Cincinnati Reds and is now an All Star player for the Texas Rangers.

Last night as he went on his incredible home run surge the announcers on TV were relating and discussing his incredible tale. Apparently, a while back, Josh believed he had been given a dream by God that he was in the home run derby being interviewed by reporters. One of the announcers stated, "Not a good night to be an atheist!"

Today the only signs of Josh's previous lifestyle are the massive tattoos on his arms that he now regrets getting. It was kind of refreshing for me to hear baseball announcers delve into the realm of God and his miraculous power. When Josh was interviewed at the end he gave all the credit to God and said how blessed he was just to be there. Josh brought praise to God's name by ascribing his beautiful story to God's character.

Boaz, Aaron, and I are in the process of recording a Beit Midrash session on the true meaning of sanctifying God's Name. It will accompany a soon-to-be-published book. God's Name is not found in the pronunciation of vowels and consonants but in the way a person lives his life. To me Josh Hamilton's incredible story and come back is a testimony to God's saving power and brings such glory to his name that even the baseball world can't help but marvel at the miracle that was before them.

To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (2 Timothy 4:18)

About the Author: Toby Janicki is a teacher, writer and speaker for FFOZ. He is also a writer for messiah magazine and the author of the Restoration Workbook and a new book on the Mezuzah.

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