The Follow-Through

The air was quiet as the young man

---Faced His opponent.

Glancing down he took his stance,

Preparing for the moment.

Lifting it above his shoulder,

He boldly faced his challenge,

Holding tightly to his tool—

Prepared to swing with courage.

Then, here it came! With everything

He thought he could spare,

He swung…but heard the cry, “FOUL BALL!”

‘Twas more than he could bear.

Strike two, already! His heart sank,

His concentration shaking,

But in his ear he heard the charge

His gentle coach was saying,

“Follow-through, boy! Follow-through!

Don’t pull back on your swing,

Watch the ball into the bat…

Remember this one thing!”

His heart was pounding as he watched

The pitcher winding up,

“Relax…breath…eye on the ball…”

Nothing would make him stop.

One last, smooth breath…Here it came,

The swing he stepped into,

The act was smooth, he felt impact…

“Swing through, boy! Follow-through!”

He swung the bat right through the mark,

Then took off for first base,

Slid safe at second, then looked into

His father’s smiling face.

When one is focused just “to hit”,

It hinders effort due,

But when one swings “through the ball”

It is the follow-through.

Many, many years ago

A young boy took his stance,

To “hitter’s plate” he stepped right up

With not a fearful glance.

The king and warriors standing by

Would have this quest denied,

But, “Is there not a cause?!” The

Living God this foe defied!

In the name of God, the Lord of hosts,

With just a stone and sling,

He ran right to that giant foe—

He “stepped into the swing”

 The act was smooth, he made impact

And hit the mark right on.

What victory! What great story!

We sing the victory song.

But don’t stop here; what if “foul ball?”

The story is not done.

The foe might rise, the army’s there,

The battle’s not yet won.

Young David ran and took the sword

And cut the giant’s head;

A follow-through was taken to

Ensure his foe was dead.

Then pulling through the thorough swing

He chased the enemy,

Not stopping till he knew He’d won

Completed victory.

The follow-through! The follow-through!

Keep focused on the goal,

Don’t stop short with just mere “hits”,

But follow through with soul.

Don’t put the fire out and then

Walk away too soon,

For “hotspots “ could ignite that were

Hidden from your view.

Are there things within your life

That keep you quite in bondage?

Sins that you have tried to hit

That still return with more rage?

Has your ball been “fouling off”?

Have fires reappeared?

Has the “conquered” enemy

Returned the way you feared?

Follow-through! Follow-through!

Don’t pull back on your swing,

Don’t stop with just a “hit”;

Remember, now, your King.

Don’t water-down your fire to just

A size “controllable”,

But seek FULL purity in Christ,

Put out the flame in full.

Complete the battle in your life

Against that sinful shame,

Beseech the Lord to cleanse your heart,

To glorify His name.

Are you a sinner, guilty now

Before a righteous Lord?

Ask God to cleanse and wash you in

His blood and Holy Word.

Don’t seek to just believe in Him,

But live entirely—

With heart and spirit, for our King—

Live it vibrantly.

Keep your eyes upon the goal,

Don’t stop for men’s applaud,

Follow-through, hand-in-hand with

The real and LIVING God.

Copyright © Elisabeth Linzey 2015