There is no “pinch hitter” in tennis. Unlike baseball, when you can bring in the pinch hitter to win the game at the bottom of the 9th inning, there is nothing comparable in tennis; you can’t bring in a 130 mph server to win the match with an ace. This expression came to mind when I received a text from the captain of one of the tennis teams I play on who asked me to fill in for a player who had just dropped out. Translation: I wasn’t strong enough to play in one of the five lines competing the next day but he needed a substitute. I was just a replacement who would prevent a forfeit; no glamour here.
My mind immediately went from tennis to a passage in Scripture* about the riches of God’s graces and the sadness in not receiving them all. We have only to make known our needs to a gracious God, yet often fail to do so and therefore fail to receive. In other words, we have God on our team but keep Him on the bench. We don’t consider Him first string. In fact, if life is good, we rarely may put Him into the game.
But what about the 9th inning with two outs? Or 20 seconds remaining in the football game? Or if you are a thief on the cross?
My understanding of God’s graciousness is that He wants to be captain of our lives and play every second with us, but will accept sitting on the bench until called in desperation, or being asked to play so that we don’t forfeit something important in our lives. How amazing is this love? Doesn’t God deserve a little more playing time in our lives? And how great is the benefit when He does!
*Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it shall be given to you.”`
