Without Asking

The main idea

The lecture explains that God’s love and gifts do not depend only on human requests, but that God in His generosity and goodness gives man many blessings without him asking or even thinking about them.

 The spiritual dimension

God as a loving Father knows the needs of His children before they express them, and grants them what they need out of His love, not only in response to their requests. This divine love appeared since creation, where God gave man existence, life, and everything around him without asking.

 Biblical examples

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the Holy Bible is full of examples of God’s free gifts, such as:

• Creation and granting man nature and all his needs.
• Saving Lot without asking.
• The incarnation of Christ and the work of redemption which no one asked for.
• Calling prophets and apostles without them seeking it.
• Human salvation and the graces of the New Covenant.

 God’s generosity and gifts

God does not give according to human merit or request, but according to His loving and generous nature. He gives with a generosity that exceeds what man asks or imagines, and sometimes more than he dreams of.

 The right human attitude

A person should trust in God’s care and not be preoccupied with asking for material things, but rather ask for God Himself. Because whoever possesses God lacks nothing.

 The concept of prayer

Prayer is not to inform God of our needs, as He already knows them, but it is a relationship of love and communion with God. Therefore, it is better for a person to focus on seeking the Kingdom of God, and the rest will be given to him without asking.

 Life in faith

A person who trusts in God lives in peace and reassurance, without anxiety or disturbance, because he believes that God manages everything with wisdom and love.

 Spiritual conclusion

God gives out of His love, not because of our request or merit. And the greatest thing a person should ask for is God’s love and union with Him, because in that is the true sufficiency.

For better translation support, please contact the center.