II. Ask Something of Me

Like Solomon, we are faced with the same opportunity--not just once, but daily. Every day our heavenly Father awaits our prayer and our requests. Every day God says to us: "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." But what are we to ask for? How are we to pray? The same question puzzled the first disciples as well. The disciples, who frequently had the opportunity to observe Jesus at prayer, sensed that his way of prayer was somehow different from that of the Scribes and the Pharisees. They observed that Jesus not only prayed and prayed differently, but they saw that prayer had an effect on him, his life, and his ministry. They wanted to learn to pray as he did, so they asked him to teach them to pray, as John the Baptist and other rabbis taught their disciples to pray. Like the disciples, we too, long to learn how to pray as Jesus prayed. We would like to pray as wisely as Solomon prayed.

What does Jesus teach us about prayer? Jesus teaches that prayer is an act of relationship. "Whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you" (Mt. 6:6). Prayer is an intimate conversation between persons in relationship--and that relationship is one of Creator to creature, of Father and Mother, source of life, to child. Furthermore, when we wish to enter into this intimate conversation, Jesus instructs us to go somewhere private, somewhere that we won't be observed or disturbed. This may be our own room or some other special place, or it may be the inner room of our heart in the midst of the day's activities.Wherever our place of prayer, we are to enter alone into God's presence. Here in the silence and the privacy of God's presence, we may open our hearts to God freely and intimately with the confidence of beloved children.

Jesus also teaches us that prayer is to be kept simple and to the point. "Do not heap us empty phrases" (Mt. 6:7). We are to understand that our loving God does not need long explanations, fancy words, or excessive pleading. We do not need to convince God as though we were Philadelphia lawyers arguing a case before judge and jury. God will hear our prayer, no matter how halting or inarticulate. God hears all prayer, even the slightest stirring of our hearts, and is pleased with our efforts, however small or great. We are to trust in faith that God will hear our prayer.