Follow Through

We finally finished up the baseball season for my son Seth. I was so proud of him. His team won the All Star Championship and played their hearts out. Seth loves baseball - all 60 lbs of him. He is put together like a stick man but he can really swing a bat. Toward the end of the season though I noticed that his hitting has significantly lost its power. One game in particular he hit the ball directly back to the pitcher three times and of course god put out every time. As I watched his swing I realized what his problem was: he wasn't following through. He would swing the bat and when the bat contacted the ball he would relax his swing and lose any power that he had generated. Before his next game, we went to the batting cages and worked on the follow through of his swing. I told him to keep pushing through the swing even after he makes contact with the ball and he will get power behind the swing and hit the ball farther. Sure enough, the next game he went to the plate and hit the ball all the way out into left field. Seth learned the importance of a good follow through.
We live in a culture where follow through seems to be relegated only to baseball swings. I see people start all the time but as soon as they come in contact with some resistance they slow down or even stop their progress. There is a story in the Old Testament book of 1 Kings 13 about a man of God from Judah. Amazingly, this man's name is not even mentioned even though he delivered a very important message from God. He walked for miles from southern Israel to northern Israel to deliver the message that cult priests that were serving the ungodly king Jeroboam would someday be burned on the very altars that they were making animal sacrifices on. God had told this man to deliver this very important message but to also not eat or drink but to come straight back home to Judah. The delivery of the message was critical but the "follow through" was even more important. You see, this man of God ended up not following through and it cost him his life.
As I read this story I can't help but ask God why he is so strict on a man who delivered this powerful prophetic message. I came to realize that no matter how gloriously you fulfill part of God's command it is not enough. When God gives instructions, it is important to follow them completely (even if the resistance comes from supposed religious people).
God help us to "follow through!" To remain faithful to ALL that you have told us to do.