Just Ask

I was talking to the mother of one of my son’s friends and I complimented her colorful bag.  A week later she gave me one just like hers. We don’t give compliments expecting people to give us things, but we do compliment what we value.

What if we complimented God’s creation more? What if we told Him how beautiful the sky looks early in the morning?  What if we told Him that we appreciate certain traits of people we read in the Bible, and how we would like to strengthen those traits in us?  Our God has more than plenty; maybe He’s just waiting for us to tell Him what we appreciate.  Maybe He just wants us to ask.

You may have heard the story of the lost son, where a man had two sons and the younger one asked his father for his part of the inheritance, then left and wasted all of his money on wild living. When the money ran out and he was hungry and alone, he decided to go back to his father to beg him for forgiveness and ask him for work.   When the father saw his son coming in the distance, he was overjoyed and immediately organized a party to welcome him. Everyone was happy, except the older brother. He told his father: “… All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends… ‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” (Luke 15:29; 31) Maybe sometimes we act like the older brother. God has already offered us everything but we may be focusing on doing things “to earn” His love, or we might be thinking of what He hasn’t given us.

Why don’t we ask God more often for big things?  Not just material things but for blessings, revelations and for His favor and mercy to surround us. If we know our God is big, why are our prayers small?

There may be many reasons; here are a few I’ve experienced:

-Do not disturb: I used to ask God for so little, my prayers seemed pitiful! I thought I was bothering God, I thought asking for too much was improper and praying for myself was selfish. It was as if I believed God had a “Do not disturb” sign. Now, I pray about everything. God listens to me all day, and the wonderful thing is that He loves to!

-He knows: If God knows everything you need, why do you have to ask him? Think about the special people in your life. You know they love you, but you still smile every time they say it, right? The same way God loves to have a continuous conversation with you.

-I am not worthy:  How could I ask God for all the things I need after all I’ve done?  Why would He even pay attention to me?  Yes, we are all sinners, and yes, we aren’t worthy, but Jesus paid the price. We no longer look at our past. When we accept the gift of salvation that Jesus is offering us we’re new, and that’s how God sees us.

-It’s not a big deal: Our lives seem to be full of “minor” things that are stealing our peace, and these issues continue to grow until they overwhelm us. We need to act proactively and ask God to help us deal with the “little” things.

God wants you to appreciate everything He has given you; He wants to be first in your life.  He wants you to ask Him because He wants to give 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.” (Matthew 7:7-8)

Manuelita @manuelitaotero

Just Ask is a chapter of Blessed. A book that reminds us that daily life takes a new meaning when seen from God’s perspective. It’s about noticing the blessings that overflow in our day to day and understanding that our relationship with God doesn’t have to be complicated.   Blessed