Ask Him

This week I read a Max Lucado book. I love the way he writes; he’s so relatable. In a particular illustration, he wrote about the power his daughters have when they came to him with a request. When they call him “Daddy,” his heart melts and the desire to meet their requests grows stronger within him. It was a sweet chapter illustrating how God wants us to come to him as his children and ask, “Daddy, can you fix this?” or “Daddy, can you help me with this?”  But, we often miss out when we don’t ask. I enjoyed the chapter and put the book away for the night.

The next day I was talking on the phone with my mom. We were sharing some concerns and needs, and she said that she was “going to have to take that need to God.” It reminded me of what Max Lucado had written about.

Later that day, I was listening to Joyce Meyers as I washed the dishes. I was encouraged and felt strengthened by what she was teaching, but all of a sudden she boldly said, “You have not because you ask not!” There was that theme again! She repeated the phrase four more times throughout her message. Each time she said it, I realized again that it had been awhile since I had earnestly prayed for a request.

For many years I heard people say that God deserves our praise, not our requests. And though I understand the sentiment behind this statement, I now understand that God longs for our praise AND for our requests.

In Philippians 4:6 (NLT), it says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.”

Have you had something on your mind that you need to pause and talk to God about? Remember, God longs to meet our needs, but just like all parents, he wants us to come to him with our requests.