A Very Small Prayer

One evening in September I took my 13-year-old son to see a St. Louis Cardinal's baseball game. I was given two free tickets for bleacher seats from my work, what a blessing! So I picked up my son at home and hurried back to the ballpark. We we're going early to watch batting practice. I told Nathaniel that from the bleachers, we might be able to get a souvenir baseball hit to us.

Well, there were a lot of balls falling around us, but that's just it, around us. Some on the left, some on the right, some in front of us, but nothing we could reach. And then it happened! A batted ball landed right at my feet. It did a double ricochet between the ground and the seat and blasted out from under there about 8 feet high right into the boy's glove. Unfortunately for me, the boy wasn't Nathaniel. The ball had bounced about ten rows in front of us. At the very moment the ball hit, I was distracted and looking to my right. I didn't even see it!

Well, that's it, I thought. You don't get another chance like that at the same game. So I settled in with just about ten minutes left of batting practice content with the game we were about to see. But there was another home run ball hit in the section to the right of us some twenty-five feet away. An elderly attendant got the ball when it landed, and signaled pointing with his finger that he wanted Nathaniel to have the baseball.

I was delighted and perplexed. We hadn't been talking with this man. He wasn't an attendant for our section. And there were about ten kids all excited and hopping up and down hoping for the ball. Nathaniel wasn't even close enough to be with the other kids. He was another six feet in back of them. But the attendant picked Nathaniel. I thought to myself, what luck! We have our souvenir!

It wasn't until the middle of the third inning that the significance of what I had just witnessed hit me. It was then that Nathaniel leaned over to me and said, "You know dad, I prayed before we got here that I would be able to get a baseball." Whir . Bang! My head must've made that noise as all at once my brain suddenly comprehended what my eyes had seen. What I had dismissed as a bit of good luck surely had a divine design!

This event has reinforced for me that God hears our smallest of prayers. Maybe even that's wrong, maybe there's not any such thing as a "small" prayer to God. And no request seems too trivial when asked in sincerity with the heart of child. Nathaniel has the proof! It weighs five ounces and has a leather cover sewn with double stitch 10/5 red thread. 🙏

Courage To Support

The Brooklyn Dodgers' Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson chatting in dugout at Yankee Stadium in 1947.

Jackie Robinson was the first black person to play major league baseball.

Breaking baseball’s color barrier, he faced jeering crowds in every stadium.

Players would stomp on his feet and kick him.

While playing one day in his home stadium in Brooklyn, he made an error. The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered.

Then, Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him.

He put his arm around Jackie Robinson and faced the crowd.

The fans grew quiet.

Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

We are sometimes like Jackie Robinson, full of shame.

Sometimes, like Jackie, our shame is from nothing we've done.

Sometimes our shame is from our own sin and guilt.

And like Pee Wee Reese, Jesus comes and slips his arm around us, and bears our shame for us.

The Lord's Baseball Game

Bob was caught up in the spirit (where he and the Lord stood by) to observe a baseball game. The Lord's team was playing Satan's team. The Lord's team was at bat, the score was tied zero to zero and it was the bottom of the 9th inning (with two outs). They continued to watch, as a batter stepped up to the plate (whose name was Love). Love swung at the first pitch and hit a single; because, Love never fails.

The next batter was named Faith (who also got a single); because, Faith works with Love. The next batter up was named Godly Wisdom. Satan wound up and threw the first pitch. Godly Wisdom looked it over and let it pass; because, Godly Wisdom does not swing at Satan's pitches -- ball one. Three more pitches and Godly Wisdom walked; because, Godly Wisdom never swings at Satan's throws. The bases were loaded.

The Lord then turned to Bob and told him He was now going to bring in His star player. Up to the plate stepped Grace. Bob said he sure did not look like much! Satan's whole team relaxed, when they saw Grace. Thinking he had won the game, Satan wound up and fired his first pitch.

To the shock of everyone, Grace hit the ball harder than anyone had ever seen. But, Satan was not worried; his center fielder (the Prince of the air) let very few get by. He went up for the ball; but, it went right through his glove, hit him on the head and sent him crashing on the ground. Then, it continued over the fence (for a home run)! The Lord's team won.

The Lord then asked Bob if he knew why Love, Faith and Godly Wisdom could get on base; but, could not win the game. Bob answered that he did not know why. The Lord explained, "If your love, faith and wisdom had won the game, you would think you had done it by yourself. Love, faith and wisdom will get you on base; but, only My grace can get you home. My grace is the one thing Satan cannot stop!"