Just Ask

When my girls were little, we would go to fairs, amusements parks, Disneyland and the like.  Without a doubt they would see something (a balloon, glow bracelets, cotton candy), and they would ask us to buy it.  Most of the times, knowing how soft I am, I would buy it for them.  Sometimes I would not purchase what they wanted.  Cotton candy for breakfast is not a good idea.  However, I am SO glad they asked.  It would break my heart if they felt they could not ask me for anything.

You see where I’m going with this? God wants us to ask for anything.  It would break His heart if he thought, for whatever reason (we don’t want to bother Him, our need is too petty, too selfish, et al), we did not believe we could ask Him for something.

Is there something you want?  
Something you need?  Something you’re lacking?  Just ask your Heavenly Father.  True.  He knows what we want – more importantly, He knows what we need.  Yet, as His children, you and I have the freedom, the joy, the privilege to ask Him for whatever is on our heart.  If we believe it’s perhaps what God has put on our heart – if we ask according to His will - doing the best we can with what we discern - God will answer our prayer.  ALWAYS.  Do you believe that?  We have to trust that God will answer, according to His will, wanting not what is good for us, but what is best for us.  God can and will give us more than what we ask for.  He may give us something completely different than we asked for, because He knows what will ultimately satisfy our longing more than we do.  Could it be that we sometimes ask for the bare minimum?  Could it be we don’t ask at all?  What are we afraid of?  No earthly father wants their child to be afraid to come to him for anything.

Jesus made it clear:
“What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?   If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11.11-13) In Matthew’s version there is this:  Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone?

Here’s the point: my girls may ask for a fish, and they can be assured that I won’t give them something that is going to cause them pain.  Unfortunately, do to my limited resources, it may be tuna that comes out of a can.  And they will love it.  They may ask for cotton candy at 8:00 in the morning, and I may tell them to wait, or offer an alternative, but I will give them an answer that I believe to be best for them.

James says, “You do not have, because you do not ask.”  
This morning, JUST ASK!
What do you want today?  What do you need?  What are you lacking?  JUST ASK!!!!
Particularly during these times – ask God for wisdom, peace, unity, joy, hope…..