GAP = God Answers Prayer

We asked again and again back in February and March until two people were called by God to be the co-coordinators of our Vacation Bible School. The Holy Spirit fell upon Linda and Emily and God worked a great thing through them. I remember when I first met with them in March to start the planning; they looked like deer caught in headlights and were willing to step out into traffic. They asked for help and support and so many people stepped up. God answered our prayers and over 160 children attended the morning and evening VBS program and 26 teenagers participated in TGIF servant leadership week.

When we ask for help from God in prayer, we admit our dependency on God. The disciples wanted to know how to pray and so they asked Jesus. Jesus shared what is well known by so many, the “Lord’s Prayer”, a model and example of prayer. But then we read in Luke 11:9, “So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you...” Jesus invited the disciple to call upon God, to ask God for help. The word ask in Greek is a verb that is present imperative, which means ask and keep asking again and again. Jesus knew they would need help and then Jesus stated what God would “give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” But asking forces us to see we are dependent! The cover of the Lutheran magazine had the heading, “Lutheran Laryngitis”, inferring perhaps that practical Lutheran spirituality is one that doesn’t know how to ask in prayer for the Holy Spirit’s power.

There is a gap between us and God and Jesus invites us to call on God to help bridge that gap. The gap stands for “God Answers Prayer”, and the Holy Spirit empowers us to bridge the gaps in our community; in our relationships; and in other situations. We are invited to pray that God would somehow move in this situation; whether God will move the other person or whether God will move you.

The Crystal Lake Food Pantry has kept asking for help. They experienced a great gap this past year when they were given the chance to buy the helping Paws building out. They kept asking and over $350,000 was raised to pay off that building. We even raised over $3000 to buy a new freezer through last years Christmas musical. The teens served there this past Monday for the 8^th straight year. We moved food from the old carpet one building, the storefront next to heavenly ham where the May Post Office Food Drive food is stored. Well we are still asking on behalf of the Crystal Lake Food Pantry for help. Living Waters and Resurrection Catholic Church work together about every seven weeks and we need six people to help on August 17^th from 9:30am-2:30pm. They keep asking!

What is the posture for ASKING? During Vacation Bible School this week, I noticed during the opening that they invited the kids to pray the usual way by folding your hands and closing your eyes. This form of prayer is usually a sign of subservience; contrition; confession or helplessness. I suggested to our Minister of Music, who was the song leader, that she lead the prayer with open hands or hands stretched out. This is a sign of either praise and gratitude or a sign of expectation[1] or anticipation of prayer being answered not in a manner that is pious and quietist in nature but one that is bold to anticipate an answer, the way Hebrews 4:14 states, “Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We can boldly keep asking, remembering that even Jesus asked for help the night before his crucifixion, using these words in the garden of Gethsemane, “Take this cup away from me, not my will be done but yours.”

Let us lift our hands up and pray…

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[1] Jurgen Moltmann, in his book The Source of Life: The Holy Spirit and the Theology of Life – in sermom “Loss For Words” at www.homileticsonline.com