Did You Ask?

We’ve all read Matt 19:14, or Luke 18:16, where Jesus said “Let the little children come to me…”. I’m also sure we’ve all thought about the meaning behind his words and how we ourselves could be more like a child and believe like a child. I really like the way The Passion Translation goes into a bit more detail, “…Then he told them, Never hinder a child from coming to me but let them all come, for God’s kingdom belongs to them as much as it does to anyone else. These children demonstrate to you what faith is all about.”

Over the last few months, the Lord has really been enlightening my understanding of his role to us as FATHER, and we, as his children. As for myself, a mother to four kids, all in different stages of life, I’m constantly parenting, day in and day out. I get it. I get how God loves us. I get how he disciplines us because he loves us, sometimes with natural consequences! I get how he wants us to heed his instructions so we are wise and make good decisions. I get how he has certain expectations for us to do certain things, but when we mess up, he forgives us when we come to him with a heart ready to learn and turn. I get how he wants to spend time with us, quality time, with real conversations and real fellowship. I’ve been meditating on the Father, and during these thoughtful times I had a light bulb moment, and that’s what I want to share with you today.

If you are a parent reading this today, I bet you can all recall a time that your child came to you and ASKED you for something, but they really weren’t asking. They were telling.

“Hey Mom, I’m going outside to play with Olivia. I’ll be back later.” What’s really happening here, is my daughter is waiting for the nod of approval. Sometimes she isn’t even waiting. She hollers it as she makes her way out the front door. Did I hear her? Sure. But did she ASK me first? No. Did she make a request? No. Now, as a parent, we might say something like “Um, try again. DID YOU ASK?” To which she replies, “Oh, um… is it ok if I go outside and play?” And you’re thinking, PLEASE? Do you see what I’m getting at? As a parent, we expect our kids to make their requests to us and ASK us with a literal question mark. I can honestly think of countless times that I’ve had my children rephrase plans that they have already made in the form of a question.

Well, I got to thinking about how we might ask our Father God for things in prayer. Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek and you’ll discover. Knock and the door will be opened for you.” (TPT) I mean, the Bible says all we have to do is ask, right? But when I thought about my own prayer life, I didn’t ASK very many questions. In fact, I did a lot of declaring: “Lord, I thank you that you supply all my needs. I pray you watch over my family and keep them safe. Please help me stay focused today and give me strength, and be with my friend who’s having a hard time…” Can you imagine if your kid came to you and said “Mom, thank you for supplying all my needs. I need $20 for Chick-fil-A. Also, me and my friend need you to drive us there.” And then holds out his hand to receive the cash. Haha! It’s absurd!

So, I decided I was going to change my phrasing. I began to ask my Father God questions in prayer. It looked something like this: (feel free to pray this aloud as you read)

“Lord, will you speak to my heart today? Will you let me feel your touch? Will you lift my heavy heart? Will you refresh me with your presence? Will you calm my overthinking mind? Will you remind me of your words of truth? Will you guard and protect my family? Will you provide everything we need? Will you pour out your blessings on us? Will you fill me with wisdom and understanding? Will you show me your mysteries? Will you increase my faith? Will you give me joy? The kind that overflows? Will you shine through me? Will you help me be gentle and kind, and show love and compassion for others?

As I wrote this prayer, the questions just went on and on. I probably had 4 pages of handwritten questions and I just cried and cried as my questions got very personal and specific and at the end of my prayer time, I felt so strongly in my heart that my Father God’s answer to all my questions was: “YES.”

2 Corinthians 1:20, “For as many as are the promises of God, in Christ they are [all answered] “Yes.” So through Him we say our “Amen” to the glory of God.”

So what do we do, when we asked our Father God for something, the correct way, and it hasn’t come to pass yet, well the scripture says to KEEP ON ASKING.[ Now if my kids were to KEEP ON ASKING me for something, I might get annoyed, but not God. In fact, it pleases him anytime we come to him in prayer. There are occasions that my kids will ask me again, and it’s actually a reminder for me. “Oh yea, I’m sorry. I forgot you did ask me about that.”

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.

Keep on seeking, and you will find.

Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 (NLT)

 

But the scripture doesn’t end with just asking. We’re also being told to seek and knock! When my kids come to me and they say “Mom, have you seen my jersey?” I might say “Yes, it’s in the hamper.” Well, what do they have to do next? They have to go look in the hamper! Maybe it’s not in the first hamper they look in. (Because we have 10 hampers in this house!) Then what do they have to do? They have to go look in other hampers until they find it. Has anyone ever had to give a very detailed description of the location of an item to someone? I know personally if I don’t tell my husband exactly where something is, “In the kitchen, top left drawer, pushed to the back, under the pack of sticky notes… there should be a AA battery.” I promise if I am not very specific he will come back and say “I couldn’t find it.” I think our Father God is very specific with us through his word, he practically spells it out, but we have to SEEK. I looked up the definition and I really liked the one that said ATTEMPT TO FIND SOMETHING. Because how often do we NOT. EVEN. TRY?

Finally, the scripture says KNOCK, and keep on knocking. “Lord, I need a new job.” Well, first of all, that’s not even a question! “Lord, this job has run its course. Have I learned the lessons you wanted to teach me in this season? Will you show me the next path for me? Will you lead me into a new season and provide me with a better job?” And as you are on that journey ASKING GOD what he wants you to do next, SEEKING employment opportunities, seeking his will through his word, and being led by peace, ou may find yourself at a door, and when you come to the door, KNOCK.

We teach our kids to knock on our bedroom door. If the door isn’t locked, they wait for us to say “Come in.” If it is locked, they have to wait for someone to unlock it. When this is the case, they often knock again. If I’m in the shower or something, they may be there a while. To knock means to strike a surface noisily to attract attention. Pretty self explanatory. But it continues on with, waiting to be let in. To gain entry. I read that, and thought “You’re getting permission to enter.” Whether we are a child at our parents’ door, or a friend at the home of a neighbor, we are waiting to be let in.

How hard are you knocking? Is it loud enough? Maybe you barely tap it with a knuckle. Is it persistent enough for someone to open the door? Oh, no one answered, guess I’ll move on along to another door. No, if you know that what you need is behind that door, you’re going to knock over and over, getting louder and louder, because you want in. I’m not sure any of us are aggressive enough to kick a door in or anything, but you get the idea. Don’t give up! ASK. SEEK. KNOCK. KEEP ON.

I’m still discovering faith through the eyes of a child, and it truly fascinates me how the Bible reveals God the Father. If you are a parent you know there were seasons of pure dependency, especially as young children, where they could not survive without you. They trusted you completely and you’d protect them no matter the cost. Your love for them was constant and unconditional. Somewhere along the way, they grew up and occasionally would rely on their own ideas and their own opinions, but you knew they would regain their senses and remember what they’d been taught.

I think our Father wants us to remain pure and dependent on him, surrendered like a young child. But also growing in wisdom and maturity, like a boy growing up to be a man. Eventually caring for and nurturing others all while saying, “My Daddy gave me this, and he taught me that.” So that our Father God gets all the glory. Like that proud proud moment we parents feel when we look at our kids, they’ve accomplished all we could ever ask or think. Even if it’s 3^rd place in the spelling bee, we could just burst with pride and squeeze their little cheeks we just love them so much! Ha Ha! I like to think that’s how God feels about us, as his children! He’d do anything for us, and we please him when we obey and reflect him! He’s exceptionally proud of us, and a proud parent will reward his children!

“If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your Heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask Him?” Matthew 7:11