Monthly Thought

November 2008 - How To Talk To God

A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured. Mark 1 v 40-42

The current battle I have with my toddler "Big Grown Up Boy" is teaching him the right way to ask for something. For Gideon, at the moment, sees nothing wrong with "I want" or "Now, Mummy!". As his parents we are training him that the polite way to ask involves "please", "thank you" and "may I have" rather than "give me" and that "Excuse me Mummy" works a whole lot better than "Mummmmeeeeee, Mummy mummy mummy mummy". Good times.

However easy or difficult it is to get the right words to come out of his mouth, much harder I fear will be getting him to change his attitude. That even the "magic word" and a big smile isn't going to get him a biscuit just before teatime, or 2 hours in front of a DVD on a nice day. Gideon, and I dare say many toddlers need to learn that getting their own way every time isn't healthy and that sometimes they just have to accept that what they want isn't going to happen just because they want it.

Getting back to the Bible - just look at the way the leper comes to Jesus. No demands, no buttering him up, no screaming and ranting, no assumption that just because he's asked nicely that he'll get what he wants.

The leper comes with an honest simple request to God and an understanding that (just as Mummy knows that endless chocolate is bad for you) God knows best. And better still he shows a willingness to accept God's final decision.

Best of all, let's look at the guy the leper is asking for help. He is FILLED with compassion. However much our friends might sympathise with us when our life is sucking, we can go to Jesus who weeps when we weep and chooses to experience our unhappiness and our joys along with us. Jesus really wants the best for you. So what can you lose? God already knows what you want and better still, what you need. Go on and ask him.

Becki Dean