Thursday, February 4, 2010

Just Ask


My daughter and I went on a road trip a few days ago to deliver a cheesecake to Sam, a nice young man in college.  I’d met him last year at a youth group all-nighter he’d attended as a friend of one of our group’s teens, and he is now one of my friends on Facebook.  A few months ago, Sam jokingly asked when I was going to make a cheesecake for him.  I told him he’d have to wait until his birthday.  He probably thought I was joking, too, because we’re really only acquaintances and he lives a distance away, but I was serious.

I like doing things for people, but I don’t always know what to do or for whom to do it, so it’s nice when people make their needs or desires known.  I’ve been reflecting, as I often do, on how some people often ask for things and get them and how others don’t and miss out.  Has that ever happened to you?  Or are you one of those people who is not afraid to ask?  A young girl in our church is very bold about asking for things, and she’s so cute she often gets what she asks for, but her older brother is a bit more reserved... and mature.  I think he has learned something from her though, because I’ve noticed that he has loosened up a bit and will sometimes sheepishly seek to obtain what he desires.  Jesus said, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you”  (Matthew 7:7; Luke 11:9).  And in James’ letter, as recorded in the Bible, James said, “...you have not, because you ask not”  (James 4:2).  Now, we know that we don’t always get everything we ask for.  James also said, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives...”  (James 4:3)  And just like any good parent, our Heavenly Father knows when to say, “No or not yet” for our good and for the good of others.  So knowing that God gives good things to those who ask, “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”  (Hebrews 4:16).  Just ask!

7 comments:

  1. "Just Ask" is some of your best work yet, Rene. Yes, we should never be timid to ask for what we need of God. I couldn't think of who the kids were that you mentioned, from church. It seems like many of them are pretty bold about asking for things. In some cases I'm sure we give them more than other people in their lives do.
    I'm glad you are such a giving person, my friend.
    By the way, that pic of Tiffany is wonderful. What a beautiful young lady she is. (Just like her mom.) George

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  2. How I love this post. You're my hero.

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  3. Thank you both!
    Geo, me a hero? Naw, not me... but I'm glad it helped. ((hug))

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  4. Rene,
    I was given this link to your blog by a mutual friend Carolyn Satre. I am the mother of the nice young man in college you wrote about. The "rest" of the cheesecake you delivered to him now sits in my frig. I have been told my Sam and my husband that it is wonderful. I may never bake another cheesecake again.

    I look forward to meeting you sometime. God Bless you and thank you for showing my son what true Christian love is all about. Barbi

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  5. Thank you, Barbi. Your son is a fine young man... a pleasure to know. He gave my daughter and I a tour of the campus, and he was so hospitable. You should be proud.

    I'm glad the cheesecake turned out well. The recipe I used was Chantel's New York Cheesecake on AllRecipes.com.

    Thank you again for your kindness and encouragement.

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  6. This is such a great post. I don't think it never hurts to ask. But I know if I pray for a million dollars to come tomorrow, it likely won't occur. But if I pray for the ability to work hard toward a million, I think it could.

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  7. I agree, Natalie!

    Thank you for visiting! :)

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