"I Need Blocks"

A dear friend of mine told our pastors’ group recently about a shopping trip he and “Mimi” had with their granddaughter. As they went around the store, the little one found a bag of children’s blocks, grabbed it and put it in her little shopping cart. She said “I need blocks” rather emphatically. Her grandpa responded “let’s go ask Mimi,” as though that would change anything, and then started reflecting on that simple, straightforward request. Sometimes in prayer we waffle around and give God all the reasons that maybe he doesn’t want to give us what we’re asking for. Do we just say straight out, “I need this!” expecting to receive it? Maybe we should — at least about some things! Let’s look.

Jesus instructed his disciples about prayer in several places, first of all in what we call “the Lord’s prayer” Mat. 6: 9-13 or Luke 11:3-4). In the Luke account, he goes on to describe prayer as being like a man shamelessly hounding a neighboring friend for a favor, then says “Ask and it will be given to you…Everyone who asks, receives” (v. 9, 10). Then in vv. 11-13, he compares a father responding to his child’s requests, then arguing from the lesser to the greater, “how much more will your Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” How much more, indeed, is the Father ready to respond to our requests — and much more powerfully — than any human father?

You may remember the old song “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes-Benz?” — and Jesus also said “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer" (Mat. 21:22). John 14:14 records him saying “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” Sounds pretty good — maybe the winning Lotto numbers, or a few more digits to the left of the decimal in our bank accounts, or good health without exercise or eating well? Truly, what would you ask of Jesus? Only these selfish things? Knowing that he is the Son of God, maybe we should be respectful in what we request! And I argue that the phrase “in prayer” is the qualifier, not “whatever we feel like.”

Still, how do we ask? Is it more like “Well, you know Lord, it’s been kinda ___ and I wish you would ____”? Or do we boldly say “Father, I need ____!” knowing that our Father in heaven is more than willing, and more than able, to give us good things? I believe there are plenty of reasons to follow the latter. We all need wisdom, direction from the Holy Spirit, and a lot more love, pretty urgently. Jesus tells us we can ask, and ask expecting to receive, all that. Let’s start asking!