162 games, 1 season...1 day

It comes down to 1 day for our Atlanta Braves. Literally, it's all going to go down in a span of 24 hours. If the Braves and Cardinals both win or both lose, we'll hop on a plane for St. Louis and play a do or die game. But it could end tonight. It took 161 games later...and it comes down to one last game. We win, they lose and we go to the playoffs. They win, we lose, the Cardinals go to the playoffs.

Now, I say "we" because I'm a Southerner and Southerners love the Braves. My Papa watched the braves in the 70s and 80s when they flat stunk. But he loved them. He lived to see them win the Division and National League in '91, then died in August '92. I remember that I was the only one in my family that stayed up to watch them against the Pirates in '92 when Sid Bream made his famous home plate slide. I think I had to for Papa. Now, I live in the Atlanta area, and the Braves are a part of my culture. Now it's one game for an entire season.

Have you ever had a day like that? I mean, think about it. Have you ever had a day, heck, a span of three stinkin' hours, that will determine if the last year of your life was successful? Most of us don't do life that way. One dinner usually doesn't define your year as a family. One presentation usually doesn't define your year at your job (though it might). For me, one sermon usually doesn't define the year for my ministry (though it could). Those things tend to be more abstract. If the Braves win and the Cards lose, this last year will have been a success. If they the Cards win and the Braves lose, this last year will have been a disappointment. And one of them will have to lose at some point. It's an interesting thing to think about. I thought about what Chipper and the boys must be thinking about this morning when I got up. 161 games...and it's down to this. One game. 9 innings. 27 outs. 4-5 at bats to change history.

Thankfully, you and I don't have many days like that. But you did have one. You don't remember it? You weren't exactly 'there.' Thousands of years of history had defined humanity and threatened to define it thousands more. One day changed everything -- the day Jesus went to the cross. One chance. A few hours on a cross...to change history. It could have gone differently. Jesus could have refused, could have struck everyone there down, could have called on 10,000 angels to rescue Him. He didn't. He pulled out victory, for us, on that final day. Of course, 3 days later, everything changed again. The savior who had died a gruesome death was alive -- again. It was another of those one days.

Maybe you won't clinch a playoff spot today. Maybe you won't change history. None of us will forgive the sin of the world and claim victory over sin and death. But what might we do in one day? Have you taken a moment to thank God for that one day that changed you? Have you asked Him what you might could do in one day.

Go Braves!
Go Astros! (Sorry, Cardinal fans. Jesus loves you, too. I just don't love your team tonight. If it's any consolation, Stan Musial was my Papa's all-time favorite player. But Stan the Man's not playing tonight, Pujols is, so here's to Albert going 0-4!)

Thank you, Jesus, for that one day!