Thursday 18 February

Esther 4:17, Ps.138, Matthew 7:7-12

Questions and Answers

Prayers of petition, which are the focus of today’s Readings, raise two questions. The first: why do we need to ask God for things when he already knows our needs? Jesus gives us the answer, and it’s a simple one: because God likes to be asked. “Ask and you shall receive.” Second, should we bother God with our petty needs when there are issues of far greater import in the world for God to be dealing with?” Again Jesus provides the answer: God is our “Abba.” For any father, let alone a perfect one, all his children’s needs and worries, whether big or small, are important.