“Then Samson called to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord God, please remember me just this time … So the dead whom he killed at his death were more than those whom he killed in his life,” Judges 6:28a, 30b.

It is tough to see your team ousted from the playoffs.

An entire season filled with ups and downs, exciting to see them win and depressing to see them lose. However, when it comes to that final, eliminating out, it is deflating.

It is so hard to accept that it is all over. Especially when one of your relatives laughingly says, “Hey, how about those ‘Twinkies’? There’s always next year, maybe next century?”

He’s right. Not the “next century” comment, but there is another season coming. In baseball and life each new year, month, week, day, even moment can give us hope. Don’t forget, you can go from botching a play to a game-winning hit.

The Bible reveals the same. Samson’s greatest defeat was followed by his greatest victory. David’s prideful fall was followed by his great rise as God’s humble servant. Peter’s disastrous denial before the Cross was followed by his triumphal confession following the Resurrection.

Yes, in God’s playoff system of grace, there can be a next ‘moment’. When you admittedly have ‘botched’ it, hear the Coach of Souls say, “Hey, we’ll get it next time.”