Friday the 13th, Opening Day, and Who Is Really in Control

 

Well of course it is. Opening Day… on Friday the 13th.

Somewhere a player just tightened his socks a little more carefully and avoided every crack in the sidewalk on the way to the field.

Baseball has always had its quirks. Players say they are not superstitious, but somehow the same pregame meal appears during a winning streak. No one steps on the foul line. A certain playlist must play. A routine cannot change if the last outing went well. If something works once, it will absolutely be repeated.

It is part of the culture. And honestly, it is part of the fun.

In our family, the number 13 is not avoided. It is embraced. My son wears 13. His daddy wore 13 in college too. So yes, we smile at it. We joke about it. We call it our lucky number.

When Opening Day lands on Friday the 13th, it almost feels like baseball handed us a headline.

But when the first pitch is thrown, fun gives way to reality.

No number controls a fastball.

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No ritual guarantees command.

And no superstition overrides the will of GOD.

James reminds us that we do not even know what tomorrow holds and that all of our plans are subject to the Lord’s will. He is not discouraging preparation. He is reminding us how to hold our plans.

Preparation matters. Discipline matters. Focus matters. These boys have trained, sacrificed, and shown up when it was not easy.

But control belongs to GOD.

And sometimes GOD’s will includes things we would not pick.

Bad hops.

Tough losses.

Injuries.

Slumps that mess with confidence.

Moments that stretch character more than skill.

Trusting GOD does not mean the season will be smooth. It means we believe He is present and purposeful in every circumstance.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 says,

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah reminds us that GOD has plans, that He listens, and that when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him.

So as this season begins, our confidence is not rooted in superstition. It is anchored in something steadier.

Pray. Seek. Find. In all circumstances.

Pray when it is going well.

Pray when it is not.

Seek Him in the pressure.

Seek Him in the waiting.

Find Him in the win.

Find Him in the loss.

And yes, we will still wear 13 proudly.

Not because it protects us from bad luck.

Not because it guarantees a strikeout.

But because for us, 13 does not mean luck.

It means faith.

We will cheer loud. We will probably still have our favorite seats. Someone may even insist the playlist matters. We are human, after all.

But at the end of the day, we know the difference between tradition and truth.

Friday the 13th does not scare us.

It just gives us another good reason to smile, trust GOD, and enjoy the game He is letting us be part of.

And if a fastball finds the corner while our boy is wearing 13 on Friday the 13th?

Well… we will grin and say it was faith all along.

Letter to God

Before the first pitch is thrown, pause.

Write a letter to GOD about this season.

Tell Him what you are hoping for.

Tell Him what makes you nervous.

Tell Him what you want for your son, your team, your family.

Be honest.

Are you quietly asking for wins?

Are you praying for health?

Are you hoping for confidence?

Are you holding tighter than you realize to control?

Now surrender it.

Write what it looks like to trust Him in all circumstances.

Write what it means to pray, seek, and find Him in the middle of it.

Write how you will respond if the season unfolds beautifully.

Write how you will respond if it stretches you more than you expected.

Let this year be about more than innings and statistics.

Let it shape your faith.

Father GOD,

Thank You for Opening Day. Thank You for the opportunity to compete, to grow, to represent something bigger than ourselves.

We place this season in Your hands.

Protect these players. Guard their bodies and their minds. Give them courage under pressure and humility in success. Teach them resilience in loss and gratitude in victory.

When outcomes surprise us, steady us.

When disappointment comes, grow us.

When joy overflows, ground us in thankfulness.

Help us to pray, seek, and find You in all circumstances.

Remind us that nothing about this season is accidental. You are present in every pitch, every inning, every moment in between.

We trust You with the scoreboard.

We trust You with the growth.

We trust You with the story You are writing.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.