Asking for things involves a language of its own, and apologies often precede our requests. God doesn’t ask us to minimize our desires to make them seem less daunting. But often that’s exactly what the language of our prayer does.

Think about it. Almost everyone you hear pray aloud will drop a seemingly harmless word into a prayer. “God we just ask that you...” It’s very commonplace language anymore; and even I have to confess to hearing it slip into my prayers now and again.

A dictionary suggests “only” or “merely” as synonyms for the word “just,” and when we add the word to a request for something, it makes us feel more justified asking for it. Think about it. What are some other times in our lives when we use this kind of language? Who else do you minimize your requests to in order to seem like less of a liability? Maybe a friend when you ask to just borrow a couple bucks? Or to a landlord when you just need a couple more days to get the rent? Perhaps to a friend you’ve burned who you think just needs to give you another chance?

Questions like that put us in a position of beggar, don't they? By framing our requests as such, we’re acknowledging the person we’re addressing has power over us and, in some cases, we feel unworthy to even be asking them for a favor.

Now, be careful not to jump to conclusions. Even I want to ask, “Well, yea, but we’re talking about God here. Why wouldn't we want to pray as if we’re not worthy? Why shouldn't we feel as if we’re beggars in light of God’s sovereignty?” Well, simply put, we’re not commanded to pray that way. After Jesus told his disciples how to pray, he gave them a very powerful story about a man in need of bread:

Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

“Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:5-10)

Did you catch that? Because of the man’s boldness, he will receive as much as he needs. The footnote of the NIV says this word could also be translated as persistence. How do you suppose the man with the bread would have responded if the man at the door had asked “Come on, just spare a couple loaves?” I can only assume that he would’ve grown slightly more irritated and probably shooed the “beggar” away from his house and gone back to bed. However, because of the man’s boldness and persistence, he got what he needed.

It’s no accident that this story immediately follows Jesus’ teaching of what we now call the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus is telling us that yes, we do approach God as strangers in need, but that we must pray boldly and persistently. We have no reason to approach God as if we have no business speaking to him. God wants us to speak to him, and tells us exactly the posture to have when we do it. Jesus endured what he did to give us the privilege to speak to God with confidence, as justified people before a glorious God. What a shame to not use it.

Pray knowing that you’re worthy. Pray knowing that you have every reason to bring even the smallest request to God. Pray boldly for the desires of your heart, and pray persistently without shame because your sins have been forgiven. Don’t just pray, pray boldly.