GO FOR THE SWEET SPOT

Upmmh -- Whack! You can hear the ball meeting the "sweet spot".   Nothing quite like that sound!  It rises off the bat like an arrow in flight arching high - up, up over the field, over the stands - it's out of the park.  The fans rise from their seats, victory shouts fill the air and the batter, poised for a sprint to first, loosens up and settles into a comfortable lope around the bases into the arms of his teammates.  What a way to make it home! 

Upmmmh, spreechkk!  A fast grounder into right field. Come on! come on! faster, faster,  whap  AHhh, safe at first.  Steals second - another grounder and he's on third.  A line drive along the right field foul line - run, run, the ball is at first and streaks toward home.  He's sliding in at full speed hands outstreched toward home base.  The umpire yells and waves his arms - he made it.  SAFE  but almost out.

Next batter up - same scenario- but the umpire yells- waves his arms. OUT  but almost in.

Reminds me of a couple of verses in God's Word, the Bible.  
In Acts 26:28 we read that King Agrippa, after listening to the gospel preached by the Apostle Paul, replied, "ALMOST thou persuadest me to be a Christian." 
ALMOST in but OUT!   ALMOST saved but lost!  Almost, almost.  Close but not close enough.

The next verses have to do with the believer who barely makes it in.  At the Judgement Seat of Christ his life gets reviewed by the all knowing God.  All is laid bare, even the hidden motives of the heart.  He wasted his life and the record of all he did was destroyed.  A child of God, yes, but little to show for it.

In 1 Cor. 3:15 we read, "If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."

And in Hebrews 6:8, "but if it (the field) yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and CLOSE to being cursed, and it ends up being burned (off)."

ALMOST SAVED IS COMPLETELY CURSED
ALMOST CURSED IS COMPLETELY SAVED

How much better to go for the "sweet spot".  Receive Jesus as Saviour and Serve Him as Lord.