What is God’s Batting Average?

A major league ball player’s batting average is the number of times he gets on base divided by the number of times he goes to bat. It is a measure of his success as a hitter. About one in three (.300) is considered very good.

When we pray, we praise God, we ask for forgiveness, and we ask him to do things. Today I want to look at how often God does what we ask him to. In a way, I want to look at God’s “batting average”. If I look back at my prayers throughout my life, the number of times God has fulfilled a prayer is surprising. But, there have also been times when I prayed very hard for something very important……..and God just sat there. I am certain that a great many people have abandoned God over an unanswered prayer.

A parent with a very sick child prays long and hard for healing……and the child dies. The parent says something to the effect of:

“God! Where were you when I needed you? Why did you abandon me? Why did you ignore me and allow this to happen? If I can’t count on you……..then I’m done with you. I’m out of here!”

There can be no doubt that God does not give us everything that we ask him for. But, what does that mean? Does it mean that God didn’t hear? That he didn’t care? That he doesn’t even exist?

As in many things, the situation is not that simple.

Imagine that you are a parent and your 6 year old is watching TV with a bowl of popcorn in his lap. It’s 9 pm. You say, “Bedtime!…..brush your teeth and hit the sack.” He utters his standard bedtime “prayer”…….”please, please, please, let me stay up…… I’ll sit here quietly, eat my popcorn, watch the rest of my show…….and I’ll just sleep on the couch”.

And his fervent “prayer” goes unanswered. At best, he is disappointed…….at worst, he is angry.

I have always found that my relationship with God is identical to a child’s relationship with his parents. By studying my relationship with my parents, I can better understand my relationship with God.

So……back to the unanswered prayer.

We all know what an unanswered prayer looks like from our side…….the side of the child. But, what does it look like from God’s side…..the side of the parent?

Here is what I believe:

God is there.
God hears your prayer.
God loves you with a love far greater than even your mother.
God looks out for your best interests……..over the long run.

So…..

God will fulfill your prayer……. if it serves your best interests…….and his………..in the long run………from his eternal perspective.

If God is silent. If he doesn’t fulfill your prayer. It is because he has another plan for you……..a better plan.

This is hard. It calls for patience. It calls for trust. It requires us to love God……..the same way he loves us.

I have had three sons. Two of them died as young men……just as their families were getting started. I don’t need to go into the pain that this caused. Shortly before they died, they both accepted Jesus.

From my perspective, the viewpoint of a child, their deaths were the greatest tragedies of my life. It would be very easy to be angry. It would be very easy to lash out at God……for letting me down when I needed him most.

But, from God’s parental perspective, this was a win…..both for him and for me. I will spend eternity with my sons…….in paradise.

From my side, God’s “batting average” doesn’t look so hot. But, from his side, it’s a different story.

I will trust God to manage my future……. understanding that his perspective……..his plan…….is much bigger than mine…….much better than mine.

I will trust that God will look after my interests better than I can.

Why?

Because he loves me……with a parental love that I cannot come close to understanding.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

God, NIV