October 10, 2013 27th Week in Ordinary Time Ask . . . seek . . . knock. (Luke 11:9) How many times have you tried to take Jesus at his word, seeking and asking, but were left feeling as though your prayers hads fallen on deaf ears? It happens to all of us and can leave us feeling discouraged. Taken at face value, it sounds as if Jesus is saying that prayer is like a gumball machine. We put in a request, and out comes the answer. But Jesus was after something deeper than quick-fix prayer. He was trying to teach us about what kind of Father we have in heaven. He won’t give us the wrong thing, and he won’t ever leave us hanging out there with no hope. He loves us too much. Because he knows us far better than even we know ourselves, he knows what we really need—even what we really desire. Does this mean that we should stop asking for the things we want? Not at all. God loves when we come to him, even if our prayers are shortsighted or otherwise misguided. Whenever we pray, we are putting ourselves in his presence, and that always opens us to his grace, even if God doesn’t immediately give us what we’re asking for. There is more to prayer than just receiving. It’s in prayer that we have the privilege of deepening our relationship with the Lord. It’s incredible but true: the Creator of all things wants us to know his heart! He wants us to understand his wisdom and justice so that we will begin to long for what he longs for. Jesus wants us to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. He wants to provide for our needs, but he also wants us to have a relationship with him. And so he tells us to pray with a firm, stubborn, even “mulelike” persistence. As we do, we will learn what is most important to God, and we will begin to ask for that. Believe that God wants to give you the kingdom of heaven and, as the Scriptures promise, everything else along with it! “Father, give me more of your Spirit so that I will keep asking, seeking, and knocking for your kingdom. As I do, give me a revelation of who Jesus is and how much he loves all of us.”
Posted on: Thu, 10 Oct 2013 09:47:13 +0000
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