Sunday, March 4, 2012

SIMPLY ASK


Have you ever had a taste for something that you know is yummy, but you end up with something not even close, but you settle anyway? Here’s a little experience I had this past Christmas holiday.

After Christmas weekend, I drove home from visiting my parents. Just before I approached home I had a taste for an eggnog latte, so I decided to go to the drive-thru Starbucks down the street. I ordered my eggnog latte, but the voice through the box was sorry to say that they were out of eggnog. Much to my disappointment, however, I decided to try their gingerbread latte. As I pulled out of the drive-thru with a tall gingerbread latte in my hand, I took a sip and was not pleased at all. It tasted like medicine! Not exactly what I had in mind. As I drove away, I thought to myself, “I just paid nearly 4 dollars for a drink that is horrible. Why should I accept this substitute as okay?” So, I turned around, parked my car and decided to go inside to see if I could exchange it for something else. Couldn’t hurt to ask, right? With a smile on my face, I explained to the person behind the counter what happened and that I was really sorry, but I just didn’t like the gingerbread latte and was wondering if I could have a vanilla latte instead. At least I know those are good. So, the young man turned to his boss who nodded his head and said, “No problem.” Better yet, they refunded my money and gave me a grande latte instead of a tall. I couldn’t believe it! That was so unexpected! I felt so special! I know it’s a simple gesture and some of you may think, “What’s the big deal?” but this truly made my night. I left feeling more than satisfied. As I was driving home, pleased with my free grande vanilla latte, as clear as you are reading this blog, I heard God’s voice in my head say to me, “See Rhoshan, it’s that simple. All you have to do is ask. You were about to drive off, settling for second best. You don’t have because you don’t ask, but, when you do ask, I will give you far beyond your expectations.” Wow, I was so amazed that God could take such a simple thing like buying a cup of coffee to teach me a lesson. But, it is so true! How many times do we settle? We ask for something and because we don’t get it when we want it, we become impatient and just accept what comes along, a substitute, instead of waiting for God’s best. Or, so often we don’t ask at all. Makes me wonder how many of God’s blessings I have missed out on because I simply didn’t ask.

James 4:2&3 You do not have because you do not ask. When you do ask, you don’t receive because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

A few days later, I heard a powerful message from a preacher on TV, whom I believe to be one of the great evangelists of this generation. Truly an anointed man of God. I won’t mention his name because I don’t like to lift up the man, but rather lift up the Word of God. I believe this message ties in perfectly with why we often don’t ask God. He said something that I have never heard anyone or any other preacher say in all my years as a Christian. He definitely got a revelation from God and it was a revelation for me. In the context of his message about the abundance of God, he made reference on how Jesus, often said to the disciples, “O ye of little faith.” Matthew 8:26 And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And again when Peter walked on water towards Jesus but started to sink. Matthew 14:31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Anytime, I have read these passages of scripture or heard it used in a sermon, it has always been used in a negative sense as if Jesus was scolding them or upset because they lacked in their faith. But, this was the first time someone interpreted these words of Jesus in a positive light. When Jesus said, “O ye of little faith” he was actually encouraging his disciples to trust him more. More like, “My beloveds why do you only take so little from me? You know my abundance is never ending, so why do you only ask or expect so little of me? I wish you would trust and expect more, and take more of me. I have so much to give.”

(my thoughts) It would be like a child asking their mother, “Are we having dinner tonight?” Of course they are having dinner tonight. A child doesn’t have to ask that because they expect it and know that their parents would not let them starve. They have such simple faith knowing there will be food on the table. It’s a given! Just as Jesus was trying to remind his disciples that he will supply their every need. The disciples were with Jesus 24/7 and saw all the miracles that Jesus did and all the times he fed the multitudes with plenty left over, but perhaps they thought, as many of us do, that we don’t deserve God’s abundance, we are not worthy, or we just don’t believe enough and often doubt. I know I’ve felt that way many times. We start to condemn ourselves, while all along God has given us so much grace and forgiveness, and he’s just waiting to bless us.

The message I heard, ended with a beautiful statement: “It’s the hand of love that gives and the hand of faith that takes.” So whether it’s as little as a cup of coffee or as great as a physical healing, there is nothing too small or too great for the Lord to provide, but we must first, simply ask.

Philippians 4:19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.