July 24, 2016

“Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.’ And he answers from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs. “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:5-13

“Prayer is more than asking for things, of course. Prayer is praise; prayer is thanksgiving; prayer is conversation; prayer is questioning; prayer is arguing; prayer is lamenting. Prayer is all these things and more. But prayer is also — and perhaps fundamentally — asking God for what we most need and desire…shamelessly. Why do I think asking is so central to prayer? Because it affirms our fundamental dependence on God. God has given us many, many gifts, yet we never stray far from our original condition of ultimate dependence on God’s mercy, goodness, and provision. When we ask God for something in prayer, we acknowledge both our need and God’s goodness. The second thing I believe is that God listens to our prayer. There is nothing more important to God than being in relationship with us, and so when we speak we can count on God’s attention. When my first child was born, I was overwhelmed by how much I loved him. I couldn’t get over how strong in the very first moments of his life was my desire to love, protect, and provide for him. In those initial moments, I looked forward to a lifetime of relationship, a lifetime of listening and talking, of laughing and even crying, together. If so with us, Jesus asks, how much more so with God (11:13).

So God wants us to pray, and God is listening. Beyond that, to be honest, I don’t know much.” (David Lose, working preacher website, July 18. 2010)

“So God wants us to pray, and God is listening. Beyond that, to be honest, I don’t know much.” I could not agree more with David Lose than these words he wrote about prayer, and how G-d works in the world. It is clear that G-d wants us to pray – it is clear that G-d wants us to ask for the things we need. Beyond that, trying to describe to someone how prayer works, and when and where and if G-d answers prayer is a real mystery. But this is the nature of G-d. Of course we know that prayer is many, many things. Prayer is thanking G-d – prayer is praising G-d. Prayer is asking G-d questions. But the most important aspect of prayer is assuming the posture of a loving relationship – one built on love, trust and thanksgiving.

The problem, as I see it, is too many people wait to pray to G-d until a crisis strikes, and when their prayer seems to go unanswered, then they believe G-d has given them a scorpion or a snake instead of an egg or a fish – to put it in Jesus’ terms. Prayer is to be an everyday, several times a day practice, not just when we are faced with life and death issues.

So, G-d wants us to pray, and to be bold enough to ask for anything. From there it is in G-d’s hands. And that’s where it should be – as far as I see it.

Pastor Dave