Hopeful Prayer of Petition

Psalm 95:2 The Southern culture breeds into our genetic makeup the necessity of the phrase, "thank you." Saying "thank you" communicates a certain degree of humility and some recognition of the value or worthiness of the giver. If a person seems truly thankful, they extend the generosity of others. "Mommy can I have this. Mommy can I have that. I really, really want this or that. Daddy, please, please, ple-e-e-e-ase." Those phrases wear us out. They decrease our willingness to give to our children. But when a child who comes to us in a quiet moment and thanks us for a gift given in the past with a story about its meaningfulness to them, we not only want to give more we want to give well. God gives better than we ever will. However, Jesus reminds us that the Heavenly Father gives as a good human father gives. (Matt. 7:7-11) In last night's devotional, Nouwen reminds us that asking isn't necessarily selfish. It can also be a thanksgiving, and an expression of thanks for our Giving God. Why be afraid to ask?