“Prayer is like . . .” by Amy Young: 7 Ways to Pray blog series

So often we wish for clear instructions. If you do this, that will happen. Or a, b, and c will definitely lead to d. But life isn’t like that – as we see with Amy Young’s delightful post. I love American football and I don’t love baseball, but I appreciate her wonderful illustration. Enjoy! (And Go Broncos! Go Vikings!)

Although I’m grateful for the Lord’s prayer, I wish that the disciples would have asked Jesus another question. In addition to asking Jesus to teach them to pray, I wish they’d also asked Jesus, “How does prayer work?”

You’ve also probably wondered how prayer works. In my imagination (see Chapter 6 of 7 Ways to Pray), I see a group of us around the table enjoying a meal with Jesus. The conversation weaves around and in a lull I ask Jesus my question: “How does prayer work?”

Since I’m at the table with Jesus and he is earthy and relatable, I believe he would use sports and parts of modern life in his answer. (If there’s one thing to know about Amy Boucher Pye and me, it’s that we love American football. If you hear loud cheers (or groans) for the Vikings or Broncos, chances are it’s one of us.) Jesus smiles at my question about prayer, leans back, and begins to tell a parable.

I lean in and this is what Jesus shares.

Prayer doesn’t work like a vending machine where you insert coin after coin, select D6, and wait expectantly for the candy bar you selected to pop out of the bottom of the machine, virtually guaranteed of the outcome.

Instead, prayer is like a baseball player who steps up to the plate, bat in hand ready to take his turn at bat. He never knows exactly what will happen, but he knows the rules of the game well enough to know what could happen. He could strike out or he could be walked to first base . . . or better yet, he might get on base with a hit. That same batter doesn’t know when he steps up to the plate the duration, will this be a short at bat that will end disappointingly after only one pitch? Or is he about to engage in a long at-bat in which the exchange between the pitcher and the batter almost seems like a battle?

Sometimes the batter won’t have to do much and he gets on base and is able to score a run for his team. Other times his turn ends in frustration, even anger at a poor call by the ump. And he stomps off indignity after being treated so unjustly!

His at-bat could result in getting to first base, which of course is exciting, or he could hit a double or even a homerun. On rare occasions the batter finds himself at a crucial point in the game as he steps up to the plate and the outcome of his at-bat can really affect the game’s outcome.

It’s not that prayer is a game between you and God or that God is the umpire judging the pitcher and the batter. Instead, prayer is an endeavor that involves the dance between the predicable and the wild. It embodies hope and longing, and the risk that unlike a vending machine, there are no guarantees. Prayer teems with anticipation, the collective holding of the breath of everyone watching, the longing for what could be, and the eruption in celebration when the crack of the bat is heard throughout the ball park.

You’re not guaranteed a specific result when you bat in a baseball game, but you are guaranteed that something will happen. So it is with prayer; mystery, skill, effort, beauty, and even love mingle together as you take your turn and offer your prayer.

Jesus looks me full in the eye as he says “and offer your prayer.” He knows in my younger years I played on a youth softball team and wasn’t very good at batting. If prayer is like that, Lord help us, Lord help me, we’re in trouble.

Jesus continues:

Amy, when you only think of baseball on the major league level, sure, you see the sport at its highest level, but you don’t see it as its richest. There are little leagues, company teams, and far more who play for the love of the game than because it is their job and they’re professionals. I’m not asking you to be an all-star; I’m inviting you into a relationship.

I reflect on the conversation as the meal comes to an end. In truth, I offer some of my prayers easily but others with weariness because I’ve been praying them for years. Thrillingly I’ve experienced answers to prayers that go far beyond what I could have imagined. I’ve been confused, frustrated, disappointed, delighted, in awe, and humbled by my prayers and the responses from God. While I wish at times prayer was more like a vending machine, in truth, I don’t actually prayer to be like that because then I’d be in control.

So, the next time someone asks you, “How does prayer work?”

You can smile and tell them, “Prayer works like a baseball player who steps up to the plate, bat in hand ready to take his or her turn at bat, never sure exactly what will happen, but willing to take a swing all the same.”

Lord, help me to be such a baseball player. Amen and amen.

Amy Young: Life enthusiast. Author. Sports lover. Jesus follower. Equipper of cross-cultural worker. Amy is the founder of Global Trellis, co-founder of Velvet Ashes, hosts reading challenges at The Messy Middle, and is the author of 5 books for Great Commission cross-cultural workers.

Order 7 Ways to Pray here, including in the US, UK, and Australia. You’ll also find lots of resources for small groups – videos and a leader’s guide – here.