Don't Be Afraid To Ask

Most people struggle with petitionary prayer. Some never ask God for specific material occurrences - a job application to succeed, a person to be healed, etc.

I will be honest: I cannot escape the general feeling of futility or embarrassment at hoisting all my all too human wishes into the darkness of the mysterious ever-greater God. I would rather collaborate with God on what is rather than voice how I wish things would be. After all: What's the point when I'll ultimately have to say "Thy will be done?"

Today, Jesus clearly stated that I am misguided. With clarity he conveys that our asking, seeing and knocking will be met with receiving, finding and an open door. A relationship lacking the elements of asking and needing is neither loving or human - both of which God wishes us to be fully.

One can imaging a subtly twisted Gospel in which Jesus teaching an all-suppressing human stoicism that yields mutely to the Father's unalterable will. But even in Jesus' darkest hour, he relates to the Father not as a suffering stoic, but as an asking child. He asks for what he wishes: "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me!"

The whole for of Jesus' relationship with Abba, "Daddy," is giving to us Christians. At it's center, this is a relationship of tenderness and childlike intimacy. To me and my fellow Christians fearful to hoist our wishes into the dark, Jesus says: "What are you afraid of? Don't you trust the one I trust?"

Justin Barkus, Give Us This Day