Reflection: It's All In Whom You Ask (July 28, 2012)

The 10th Sunday after Pentecost
Genesis 18:17-33; Colossians 2:6-19; Luke 11:1-13

Children quickly learn which of their parents to go to when they want something. Depending on what it is that they are asking for, either mom or dad will be targeted. They know that who they ask is just as important as what they ask and how they ask for it. And, of course, they know that if all else fails that they can ask grandma!

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him to teach them to pray, He taught them the prayer that we’ve come to know as the Lord’s Prayer. After teaching them to “pray this,” He went on to explain that when we pray we can be certain that our prayers will be answered favorably — maybe even more favorably than we asked — because of who it is whom we’re asking. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to you children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” He proclaims to assure us that our prayers are answered because of who God is. Martin Luther captured this understanding of prayer when he explained that the opening words of the Lord’s Prayer “encourage us to believe that He is truly our Father and we are truly His children in order that we may approach Him boldly and confidently in prayer, even as beloved children approach their dear father.”

When we consider who it is to whom we pray we begin to understand prayer very differently from those who use prayer as a tool to pry blessings from God’s hand. We know that there is no need to gather large numbers of prayer warriors to
“storm the gates of heaven” with prayer, but that the prayer of a little child is welcomed by our Heavenly Father and answered with favor and grace. And it is as little children that we are called to come to our Lord with our concerns, hurt, requests, praise, petitions, and supplications confident that all that we bring before Him is pleasing because of who He is and who we are to Him.

The strange ideas people have about prayer aren’t harmless. Many Christians have all but abandoned prayer because of false expectations about it and a sense of failure resulting from them. Thankfully Jesus’ answer to His disciples request to teach them to pray provides us with the key to experiencing the joy, peace, comfort, and confidence of prayer: it’s all in Whom you ask. Beloved child, your dear Father awaits your prayer.

Click to listen to the sermon "It's All in Whom You Ask" (or right-click to download).