James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it
Let him ask God
will be given him.
If any of you lacks wisdom
Uh – yep that’s me. There are too many times to count that I wish I had made a wiser decision. Whether it’s my choice in footwear (yes mom you’re right, the boots are too tall), how late I stay up or speaking before I think, I’m not always wise. I know, shocker.
Would you please clean the pan
I just thought of an example my husband pointed out to me today. He came home for lunch and warmed up some left overs on the stove. We have this large red frying pan, and I have the impression that he hates to clean it. My husband always does the dishes, but often I find this one left out for me to clean. While he was relaxing on the couch before he returned to work, I said, “Great, I bet you’re going to leave this for me to clean. You always leave this pan out.” Now this is not really smart thing to say to the guy who always does the dishes. You don’t have a leg to stand on really, so I started hopping. I said something like, “I know you always do the dishes, but this one pan…” My husband stopped me. He said, “Why do you have to start getting mad at me for something I have not yet failed to do, and instead ask for what you want. Ask me to clean the pan before I leave.” I realized how passive aggressive I was being, and stopped my self and asked him to clean the pan before he left, which of course he did.
Let him ask God
Often we don’t ask God for what we need. We start complaining about what we don’t have or how He’s failed us, but we often never even asked for what we wanted or needed. We simply don’t ask. In Matthew 7:7-8 we are promised that when we do ask, it will be given to us “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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
Who gives generously to all without reproach
In John 15:7-8 we hear it another way, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” Usually when I write my blogs, I find the words coming rather effortlessly, the thoughts running through my head and my typing is the only thing slowing me down, but I must confess, I didn’t want to write my blog today. Before I started this version of this blog, I had another version that was not filled with grace, and probably wasn’t even true. It felt bad. I did what I never do and read my blog to my parents asking what they thought before I posted it. I read the first two paragraphs and my mom said, “That’s not right.” Yep. I knew that, that’s why I called. I knew it wasn’t right. After a long chat that had nothing to do with my blog, (that made my mom burn her pie – sorry mom), I came back to the blog, prayed and had a whole new perspective and plan.
And it will be given him
God has promised in many places in the Bible that if you ask it will be given to you, and fortunately for us He knows what we truly need when we pray. He can cut through the garbage and see what we’re really asking for instead of what we say. Sometimes it may seem like we’re not getting what we asked for, but God isn’t limited to the words we use, He knows our heart, and knows what we’re really asking.
What are you going to ask for?
God is... 