Crossing boundaries

How much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him? (Luke 11:13)

Were you ever taught the saying “Don’t wear out your welcome”? One way or another, we all learn boundaries in relationships—how to act with tact and to avoid making presumptions about others. Lessons like these teach us to be considerate and help us build lasting relationships.

So Jesus’ story in today’s Gospel reading can make us cringe a bit. This guy wakes up a friend to get some food for an unexpected guest, and he won’t stop knocking until he gets it. What is his friend going to think of him the next time they see each other? Even more to the point, what should I take away from this story? Does Jesus want me to be pushy and aggressive as well?

But don’t stop reading there! Jesus is not telling us how to treat our friends. He is telling us how to treat his Father in heaven. Children don’t learn the same kinds of boundaries with their parents as they do with their friends and acquaintances. That’s because parents love to provide good things for their children. It’s also much harder to impose on a parent than on a friend. So God won’t be offended by your persistence, even if it seems like nagging to you!

Do you believe that God loves you this much? That he wants you to go to him the way a child goes to his father for help? If you’re finding it hard to grasp this truth, take note of what Jesus says. The Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask not just because the Spirit is the greatest gift he can give us, but also because it’s the Spirit who can help us experience the Father’s love more and more deeply.

So push yourself to cross boundaries with God today. Pester him, hound him, open up your heart to him. Watch for those internal checks that tell you, “Don’t go too far with God; you may make him angry.” Whenever thoughts like these surface, tell yourself, “No, this is my Father I’m dealing with. I know he’ll take good care of me.”

“Father, help me to trust more fully in the love that you have for me.”

from wau.org