Why Ask?

Matthew 1:7-8
7 Ask and it will be given unto you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.




Gasp. . . What if it is that easy?
As a small child I heard my mother say frequently, “Why didn’t you just ask?” This question usually followed, yet was not limited to, a mishap where something was spilled or fell on my head from a cabinet shelf too high to reach. Granted, there was a slight tone of frustration in her voice but the message was clear. Mom was ready to assist in most every situation with that little bitty word, “help”, (actually it was “please help”, she insisted on politeness too!)

So why, oh why, didn’t I ‘Just Ask’ more frequently?

Because sometimes the answer was “No.”!

Is it fair to say, created with a strong desire to be autonomous, we begin to exert our will at an early age? Well, perhaps not you, but it certainly was for me! Depending on personality we could hear similar requests from our parents for most of our childhood. As strong-willed as I was, I learned fairly quickly it was an easier road to a smile on Mom’s face to include her and that beautiful smile rendered good rewards a-plenty. She had a great system. The threat of my dad’s displeasure was enough to keep me in check in most situations. On occasion I would push the boundary when I discerned my ability a ‘sure thing’. I was confident I could do it or, much later, perhaps confident I wouldn’t get caught. (Oh, you know you did it too!) Successes and failures were lessons in themselves, but the greatest lesson learned was discovering the abundant love my parents had for me. It is a lesson I have shared with my children.

If you need anything, please just ask.

God offers us this same useful service, with or without His hand on his hip, just as my Mom did. Without question His message is the same. He loves us and wants the best for us, He wants us to come to Him for our needs, wants and desires even when it's out of our reach. By prayer (asking!) we draw into a closer relationship with Him and can, with His help, navigate through our lives. Perhaps with fewer things falling on our heads, huh? Without question, He will be ready to assist. Even if the answer is sometimes slow to follow or the occasional, "No."

God bless you, today. And if you need anything, well, you get the idea!
LaVella