Red in the ledger

Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, was an obscure comic book character until she was made popular by her appearances in the Marvel superhero movies beginning with the film Iron-Man 2.  She went on to secure her place as a full-fledged member of the Avengers.  She has a fascinating back-story: “Gifted spy Natasha Romanoff is more than worthy of her moniker, Black Widow.  Ruthless, efficient, and exceptionally skilled, Natasha strikes fear into the hearts of her enemies.  Although she once operated on the side of evil, her innate heroism enabled her to overcome her upbringing and defect, setting her on a lifelong path of redemption.” (Source: https://www.marvel.com/characters/black-widow-natasha-romanova/in-comics)

Natasha’s dark past is alluded to in a memorable scene in the blockbuster film Marvel’s The Avengers.  Thor’s ruthless brother, Loki, is being held prisoner by the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. (for the uniformed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that stands for Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement and Logistics Division, and it is also the group that Natasha works for); Natasha is sent to interrogate him about another agent.  She doesn’t attempt to get the information by force, but by sharing a part of her past with him.  I wish I could quote their entire compelling dialogue, but I won’t, as I want to get to my main point today.

 

She says to Loki, “Before I worked for S.H.I.E.L.D. I made a name for myself.  I have a specific skill set.  I didn’t care who I used it for, or on.  I got on S.H.I.E.L.D.’s radar in a bad way.  Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call.”  Later on, Loki asks her, “And what are you now?”  “It’s really not that complicated,” she answers.  “I got red in my ledger; I’d like to wipe it out.”

I’m fascinated by Natasha Romanoff’s statement because it gives us insight into her heart – and by extension, into countless other hearts like hers; those who also have red in the ledger and they want to see it gone.  Natasha strives to make up for the sins in her past with a lifestyle of morality.  To put it another way: she seeks to make amends for her bad works by piling good works on top of them.  Please don’t misunderstand me on this one: I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t seek reformation.  I believe that a person should turn over a new leaf in their life when they see they are living in a destructive way.  Nor am I suggesting that good works aren’t important at all; they are crucial (I want to write an entire blog on that subject next time, God willing).  What I am saying is no one can wipe out the red in their ledger by good deeds alone.  Why not?

I once heard a pastor use an illustration that answers this inquiry: imagine you have a refrigerator that reeks.  It is discovered that it is due to a rotting piece of food that has been in there too long.  You can put all the fresh, new items of food you want inside that fridge, but it won’t affect the smell; the bad food still remains inside.  In the same way, piling a whole bunch of good works will do nothing for the stench of the bad works that still remain inside the human heart.

Someone wants to ask, “If all that is true, then what can be done about that red in the ledger?”  An old hymn states, “What can wash away my sin?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.  What can make me whole again?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”  What can wipe out the red in our ledger?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary.  

The Bible says, “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy” (Titus 3:5).  The Bible says, “Jesus Christ, the Righteous One…is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 2:1b-2).  God Himself declares, “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake” (Isaiah 43:25).  We need only put our faith, trust, and belief in Jesus Christ; Acts 10:43 states, “To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”  Have you trusted in Jesus Christ to forgive you and wash you clean?  If not, don’t let this opportunity go by, you can do it right here and now.  Romans 10 says, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

 

Kevin

The fleeting postseason of the Colorado Rockies

Sadly, the postseason for the Rockies officially ended yesterday.  They were swept by the Milwaukee Brewers.  One reason for this quick exit from the playoffs is Colorado’s lack of offense.  Aside from game 1 (which ended in a 3-2 score) the Rockies were shut out in every game!  Let’s give credit to the Brewers; they played a very good series.

This was not the way the Rockies wanted their season to end, but they should hold their heads up high; it was an excellent season, and they should be optimistic for the future.  Furthermore, speaking from my perspective as a fan, I got caught up in the success and excitement of the Rockies season in a way that I haven’t in a very long time.

To add insult to injury, the same day that the Rockies were eliminated from playoff contention, the Denver Broncos lost their third game in a row to drop to a record of 2-3.  I won’t sugarcoat it: the Broncos were pummeled by the New York Jets; the final score was 34-16.  The Jets offense went wild – running back Isaiah Crowell alone ran for a career high 219 yards on 15 carries – while the Jets deserve credit, quite frankly, it was an ugly loss for Denver.  Many Bronco fans are remembering how the Broncos went on a similar losing streak last year and ended up with an abysmal season of 5-11.  In short, it was a tough day for Colorado teams yesterday.  

Kevin

Looking at the Colorado Rockies season

It has been a whirlwind ride the last few days for the Colorado Rockies – and their fans.  On September 30th, the Rockies defeated the Washington Nationals by an impressive score of 12-0, to end the regular season (further, Colorado had won 9 of their last 10 games).  They ended up with a record of 91-71 – the same record as the Los Angeles Dodgers.  So the two teams had to play a 163rd game to determine who was going to win the National League West Division crown.  The Dodgers won that game by a score of 5-2.  It is a disappointment that Colorado was unable to achieve their first division title; but kudos to the Dodgers.

Next up for the Rockies is a Wild Card Elimination Game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago.  As I write these words, the game is going to start in a few hours (for those who think that I should have composed this blog after this crucial game, you are probably right, but I’ve decided to write this content now, and we’ll go from there).  The Cubs have walked a similar path in that they too lost the opportunity to win a division title; on their 163rd game, they were defeated by the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 3-1.  Tonight’s game is going to be played in Chicago because the Cubs ended up with a better record; they ended up going 95-68.  Without a doubt, this Cubs team is going to be a huge challenge for the Rockies.

With all of that stated, I want take a step back and look at the Colorado Rockies regular season as a whole.  With the loss to the Dodgers, in the winner-take-all 163rd game, the Rockies ended up with a regular season record of 91-72.  What I find amazing is that this record, speaking from nothing more than number of wins, is the second best season in Colorado Rockies history!  The 2009 Rockies notched a record of 92-70 (this team went to the playoffs but lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in the Divisional series).  The only time the Rockies went to the World Series was in 2007; that team’s record was 90-73 Source: http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/col/history/year_by_year_results.jsp

It’s been a fun season, but I am certainly rooting that the Rockies season continues past this do-or-die game against the Cubs.  To be continued!

Kevin

(Update for posterity - written on 10/3: The Rockies defeated the Cubs by a score of 2-1.  It took 13 innings for the game to be decided, but "Rocktober", as it has been dubbed, continues!)