We have been asked to believe that protective backstops in all aspects of our society are in place to prevent injury. This belief has left some people trusting in backstops that have significant holes in their promise to protect and in some cases, are completely absent offering only an illusion of safety. We have been told to believe these failed backstops will always remain faithfully in place for incoming issues that will impact the future security of our finances, our emotional well-being, and our spiritual health. This has caused people to remain seated in the bleachers of assumption.

When I was a kid playing baseball, our team loved yelling from our dugout at the opposing team when they came up to bat. We would yell “Hey, batta, batta, hey batta, batta” trying to get them confused and riled up. On occasion, a kid at bat would get so messed up they would misjudge their swing sending the ball over the catcher’s head and back toward the bleachers. The ball was thankfully captured by a metal mesh backstop. If the backstop was not in place, an errant ball could do real damage if it struck a spectator.

Failed social backstops are being exposed by the Lord. In that exposure, He will offer people the opportunity to choose Him as the only reliable backstop while the false backstops are blatantly failing. Errant balls are flying into the stands of culture creating a paralyzing fear about the future. Only the Lord offers a peaceful seat in the bleachers of life when it appears we are at the bottom of the 9th and the world is unraveling.

Later, when I sat in the bleachers as a spectator and a batter sent a ball into the backstop, I would be startled and jump as a ball headed my way. That startled moment quickly passed when I knew the backstop was able to capture the ball and save me from injury. 

A reexamination of all the backstops in our lives is taking place. If anything, other than Jesus and His faithfulness are in place, we will suffer things God never intended for us to suffer. Having the Lord in that place of protection will allow us to watch the game of life without the fear and uncertainty that comes when the backstops we were told would save us prove to be unreliable.