Asking—and getting

‘And so I say to you: Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For those who ask will receive, and those who seek will find, and the door will be opened to anyone who knocks.’ (verses 9,10)

Read Luke 11:1-13

How much praying do you do? How often do you go to God and ask him for things you need? Once a week? Once a day? Twenty times a day?

What? Twenty times a day seems a lot of asking? Well, why shouldn’t you? After all, Jesus has given you a blank-cheque promise. He assures you that you simply have to ask and you will receive. Everyone—so there are no exceptions—who asks will receive.

Just imagine that you’re in a super supermarket and that God is the owner. He’s invited you to help yourself to whatever you want. So what will it be? The latest designer clothes? A new sports car or 4WD? A beach house at Byron Bay? An extensive portfolio of blue-chip stocks? But why be modest in your asking? Just ask for perfect health, absolute wealth, and non-stop happiness.

Strange, then, that if we go back to the model prayer Jesus taught his followers, we find that the only material blessing asked for is enough food for one day. The rest of the prayer petitions deal with our relationship with God, our relationships with other people, and protection from temptation and evil.

Perhaps the answer to this puzzle lies in Jesus’ mini-parable about fathers not giving their children snakes and scorpions when the children ask for fish and bread. God is our good heavenly Father and will not give us anything that is harmful to us.

Loving God, move us to be eager and constant in our asking in prayer, and help us to see what we really need in life. Amen.

by John Vitale, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

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