+ Sometimes it is easy for us to think that it is God who is
hard of hearing, when it is actually us who are hard-up of trust
in the God who is the object of this prayer that Jesus himself taught us.
Jesus tells us, when praying,
“not to babble on like the pagans” who think the multiplication of words, and a
well thought out “sales-pitch” is what will get the Father’s attention, and
make him “a deal he cannot refuse to answer.”
God is not into deal making,
but he is all about providing for the true needs of his children, seeing as he
does the entire picture, of not only how to best answer our requests, but even
to prepare an answer that is beyond our wildest imaginings.
What he asks of us is trust enough
to let him be God, spunk enough to ask for at least what we think we need, and
courage enough to accept and process the answer as he o so lovingly, and wisely
apportions the details.
God is God – he is Father
Creator, Sustainer, Doter Supreme, and his plan and execution thereof it be
embraced, trusted and cooperated with entirely and immediately, for best
results, not only for us, but also for those whose lives will be part of the
interacting out of the solution.
God rarely answers prayers
that are selfish and only has to do with ourselves and our own comfort. Daily
bread is for nourishment yes, but to energize us to serve the true needs of
others – who are struggling through this “vale of tears” with everyone else.
Forgiveness of one another is essential
for the answering of our prayers. For if we do not recognize and work into our
daily approach to life the inconsistencies, shortcomings, and quite frankly
vincible ignorance of others, then God will not deal mercifully, forgivingly
and compassionately with us.
If we are busy doing our fair,
but limited, share of helping others – no one has to do it all – then we will
be too busy to be distracted by the “roaring lion” who is out there to throw a
wrench into all we are trying to accomplish with God’s help.
As St. Paul tells the
Corinthians, the gospel message that he receives daily, and dwells on
constantly, was given him free of charge – the message of utter, complete and
unconditional self-sacrificial love – so we must likewise freely, generously,
and with a magnanimous heart give to others today – especially the ones he
places right in our path, beginning with the person sitting right next to us.
“For the kingdom, the power
and the glory are yours, heavenly Father, Abba, both now and forever.”
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