Ask

He was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.’ He said to them, ‘When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
   Your kingdom come.
   Give us each day our daily bread.
   And forgive us our sins,
     for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
   And do not bring us to the time of trial.’

And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” And he answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.” I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

‘So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ Luke 11:1-12

I don't like having to ask for help. I think we all like being independent and able to do what is needed done. Yet, too often, we hold back and don't ask when we are really in a jam. We do not like to seem weak or needy. We don't like people knowing we need help. Yet all of us need other people, none of us can truly go it alone, and we all stand on the backs of those who came before. A simple prayer, a simple ask, is often the key to our freedom.

Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in the simplest way. Then he tells them that they must simply ask, seek and knock. God's love and generosity knows no bounds. We are all too often struggling when we have forgotten to pray. We are often overburdened when we fail to seek out community. We are invited today to ask away, knowing we are loved so well.

Today, I ask God to help me put aside shame and fear and simply ask. May we be willing to always ask for what we need so that we have the strength and compassion to care for others.