Asking

(From notes taken this Sunday)

I am discovering the importance of asking for my needs to be met. Rather than assuming they will be, or that if they aren't, they never would've been.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

After we are directed to pray for heavenly things, we are encouraged to pray for our needs as well. (Always in light of the rest of Matthew 6 -- our needs, not our greeds.) We are not to worry, we are simply to ask. To put our needs at His feet, because He is a G-d of unlimited resources and all that is, is His.

Previously, my subconscious raised two objections to asking for my own personal, physical needs.

1. He knows my needs anyway. Why should I have to ask?

This misses the mark on several levels. Jesus tells us to ask. One, that we may know all provision comes from Him and two (in conjunction), as part of our refinement, supplication should turn our thoughts to heavenly things, placing our treasure and heart on His kingdom and righteousness.

2. G-d doesn't care about those little things. I mean, not for me, really. There is world poverty and a myriad of other things for Him to worry about. Not my job, or my car, or my ____.

Oh foolish pride! Always there, hidden and woven into every rationalizing thought. By placing emphasis on me, it minimizes G-d's power and reach. Here I am claiming that praying about little things is a 'waste of time' because somewhere in my arrogant mind, I can take care of the little things. But, He is Lord of the magnificent and the mundane.

Obviously, we are to be responsible with our time and resources, but it's He who supplies all of our needs.

It's right there: Give us today our daily bread.

(When Christ walked the earth, this was far more literal than we take it today. Then, yesterday's wages bought today's food. Subsistence was a day-to-day need. Most of us don't know what that feels like, but the principle is the same: We are to ask for our needs because it is He who provides all that is necessary.)