We Never Outgrow Asking

Asking is hard for many of us. Fear of disappointment, fear of rejection, or false humility (“he has more important things to deal with”) can prevent us from letting our needs be known to God, or even to another person. But as Charles Spurgeon says, ​“Whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the Kingdom.” 

Petition isn’t a lower form of prayer than adoration or contemplation — it is our staple diet, as Richard Foster reminds us this week in an excerpt from Prayer. Often our asking is on behalf of another in turmoil. Jan Johnson helps us there to move beyond quick fixes and into interceding like Jesus.

A few weeks ago I mentioned a prayer experiment: ask God for something specific — anything good. It could be quite small. Lord, give my four-year-old a friend today is one recently answered within a few hours. The more specific a request, the harder it is to give coincidence the credit God deserves.