'Please' and prayer

In the process of teaching Elisabeth conventions of courtesy, I have had many occasions to think about prayer.

When Elisabeth was first learning to say 'please' and 'thank you', she viewed 'please' as a truly magic word. She knew that we expected to hear it with every request, and she learned that it was the way to get what she wanted. When she asked for something she could not have using the word 'please' she would get very upset when the answer was 'no.' We had to explain repeatedly that, although she had asked nicely, we could not give her what she asked, and we would explain the reason.

I think there is a remarkable parallel to prayer. We are given magnificent access to a gracious Father who invites us to ask for things. So when we ask nicely and don't receive what we asked, we very easily get bent out of shape. What we often fail to realize is that many of the things for which we ask nicely are not truly good for us, or the time is not right, and so they are withheld in love. I often withhold good things from Elisabeth because the time is not right, or because giving it to her would not be good in the long run. How much more does our wise Father withhold for our good!