[Jesus said:] "And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." (Luke 11:9-10)

For me, and only me I'm sure, sometimes I ask and the answer is yes, and sometimes I ask and the answer is no. My prayer life is so-so. I could take advantage of my time walking to talk to God, but I rarely do. I could turn off the radio and pray as I drive, but I rarely do. I could pray immediately after I rise, maybe even as I lay there and am thinking about getting out of bed in the morning, but that almost never happens. I could (gasp) do a formal devotion with my wife and pray, but that is rare and only happens at Advent or Lent. I ask myself, when I get to passages like today, "Self, why don't you pray more regularly and routinely?"

Jesus is instructing his disciples after praying. The passage in Luke 11 opens with Christ praying, and the disciples ask to be taught to pray. Christ then moves into "The Lord's Prayer," but Christ is further instructing his disciples about prayer in the passage above. Augustine is quoted in the study notes and he says something very powerful about mankind and prayer: “Let then the slothfulness of men be put to shame; He is more willing to give, than we to receive; He is more willing to show mercy, than we to be delivered from misery.”

Sometimes, the truth is, we don't want to change or even have our need fulfilled. As sinners, we love our ruts.

John Newton, the writer of the familiar hymn "Amazing Grace," gives us another hymn found in the Lutheran Service Book. Hymn 779, "Come My Soul, with Every Care," is an excellent prayer written by a man who has needs, but his request is simple. It's worth reading as you prepare for church or return from Sunday worship. God may answer to our needs "no," but he hears our prayer. God may answer "yes," but he hears our prayer. God may say, "It can wait," and he does say, "My grace is sufficient."

Newton, though, shows an option we rarely consider. Gracious Father, take me and guide me.

4 Lord, Thy rest to me impart, Take possession of my heart;

There Thy blood-bought right maintain

And without a rival reign.

5 While I am a pilgrim here, Let Thy love my spirit cheer;

As my guide, my guard, my friend, Lead me to my journey's end.

6 Show me what is mine to do; Ev'ry hour my strength renew.

Let me live a life of faith; Let me die Thy people's death.

That is our prayer today and every day. It's simple and the request is to shape our attitude, no material or physical requests. It's a great start to a prayer you may have as well for a physical need or material need.

Excerpt from The Lutheran Study Bible © 2009 Concordia Publishing House