Grace on the diamond

If you're a baseball fan at all you probably know about Armando Galarraga's almost perfect game last night in Detroit. The Venezuelan pitcher was one out away from the first perfect game in Detroit Tigers history when umpire Jim Joyce made an incorrect call on what should have been the last out of the game (see video below).



Manager Jim Leyland, players and fans reacted with outrage. Everyone, that is, except for the one most offended -- Armando Galarraga. Umpire Joyce said of Galarraga after the game, "I would’ve been the first person in my face, and he never said a word to me." In interviews Galarraga refused to criticize Joyce, and accepted his apology with a hug. In a word, he extended grace. How like our God! He's the one most offended by our sin, yet in Christ he offers us grace and forgiveness if we'll accept it. And what's more, our awareness that we've "blown the call" is owing only to his initiative. He made the first move. "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Rom. 5:8