By Rick Sibert                                                                                                                                   July 2008  

A Life Restored

   “Josh Hamilton is at peace now, at peace even when he sleeps. ‘I used to have dreams all the time,’ he says. ‘They were so real, I'd wake up and take a real deep breath in, like I was hitting the crack pipe.’

     Albert Chen wrote the above as his lead in to his fantastic article in the May 27th issue of Sports Illustrated, an article that describes how a humble church going man from North Carolina, blessed with super-human baseball skills, took the wide road in life, only to then be humbled again by the grace of God and find repentance and forgiveness.

     As a high school phenom with an unheard of 96 mph fastball, Hamilton was the number one player picked in the amateur baseball draft of 1999.  Often compared to a young Mickey Mantle, and a true “five tool” player (able to hit for average and power, run, catch and a cannon for an arm), more than one current major league player has found it difficult to describe the immense talent Hamilton possesses.  One Texas Ranger teammate simply states, “Josh Hamilton is the best baseball player to ever walk the planet.”  High praise for a man who never thought he would play baseball again.

     The simplified version of his story goes like this:  While in the minor leagues, Hamilton was involved in an auto accident that left him with a back injury that required rehabilitation.  Sidelined for a while with time on his hands and no supervision, he fell in with the wrong crowd at a tattoo parlor and began to use drugs.  And then the drugs took over.  He was soon suspended by the team that drafted him – the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and then again by Major League Baseball itself.  He blew his entire four million dollar signing bonus.  All of this before he ever saw his dream of playing in the major leagues fulfilled.

     Four years later, in October of 2005, he found himself back home in North Carolina.  Banished from baseball and living with his grandmother (after his wife had kicked him out) he had hit bottom.  His grandmother sat him down in the living room one night and confronted him one last time about the direction his life had taken and how God was still there.  His muscular 6’-4” frame now wasted away to 180 pounds, he fell on his knees that night and repented.  And the Lord heard.  And the Lord began to restore.  Hamilton hasn’t taken a drug or a drink since that night and he gives all the glory to Jesus.

     When he was reinstated to baseball in 2006, The Cincinnati Reds took a chance on him for $50,000.  Amazingly, after abusing his body for years, his skills were restored and he quickly made it to the “show” the following year, with a tremendous rookie season.  Traded to the Texas Rangers in the off season he is now an All Star and a bonafide triple crown threat.

     I have followed Hamilton’s story from the beginning.  When he fell into drugs and alcohol I’ll admit that I wrote him off right away.  Just another talented kid who wasted it, I thought.  Another potential role model for young kids who blew it.  I can get very weary hearing these stories – you know, the gifted athlete who can’t seem to stay on the straight and narrow.  I’m glad God doesn’t give up on them.  I’m glad He didn’t give up on Josh. 

     For God’s mercies and grace are abundant and never ending.  He is ever ready to pour them out on us and restore us.  What is our role?  Our response?  We simply need to come to that place in the middle of our circumstances and struggles where we just say “enough.”  “I can’t do it any more, Lord.”  “Please take this burden from me.”  “I’m sorry, please forgive me.”  And then we need to have faith to believe what Jesus meant when he said, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)

     You see, Jesus is in the restoration business.  He delights in rescuing one of his children from the pits of Hell.  And the most amazing thing - He promises to restore the years that were lost to Him!  Read this wonderful passage from the prophet Joel: "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten….You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you…." (Joel 2:25,26)

     “So what if I fall again,” you ask? 

     If you repent, he will pick you up, dust you off and begin the process all over again.  And the next time?  Yes, the next time.  Again and again and again.  And each time you are restored He will strengthen you so you can withstand that challenge the next time.  And pretty soon, like Hamilton, you will no longer have the desire to sin and you will be at peace.

     So how does that peace now manifest itself in Josh Hamilton’s life where chaos once ruled?  Couldn’t he have just done it on his own?  Mental fortitude?  Pick himself up by his own bootstraps?  As human beings we are certainly endowed with the ability to rise up from the ashes….for a time.  In my experience, the old sins will always return and continue to haunt us until dealt with in the spiritual realm.  The key word here is “peace.”  Jesus said,

"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give it to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)

     The world cannot bring that peace.  I’m sorry, but no ten-step program can bring true confession, forgiveness and produce repentance.  Only Jesus can do it.  Only Jesus can wipe away the grime.  Only Jesus can polish you back up.  

     Josh Hamilton says he is no longer tormented by those recurring nightmares with the devil trying to lead him back to his old ways.  "Every once in a while I'll have a dream about using, but I won't remember it until two or three days later. Now I go to sleep every night and wake up every morning, and everything's clear."

     Josh Hamilton is a living testimony to the power and love of God and he praises His name with every opportunity he has for his amazing indescribable story.  The wonderful thing is that God doesn’t only do that for gifted baseball players – He’ll do it for anyone who calls on His Name.  What about you?  Are you fighting an addiction?  Or maybe you are pregnant out of wedlock and can’t see a way out.  Maybe you just can’t stop lying and cheating.  If you are in the depths of Sheol, call to Him.  He will hear your prayer and begin to restore you.  Make that choice today!

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Editor’s Note:  Eternal Perspective is a monthly feature of Calvary Chapel Columbus and the commentary of Pastor Rick Sibert, focusing on living a Godly life in the midst of an ungodly world.