Humans are created to need. As much as we try to be, or even think we are, we are not self-sufficient. We have been created to need. We need companionship. We need life, breath, hope, purpose, and community. We are incompetent and needy creatures. Our existence itself is dependent on an outside source.
The more I come to know the Father, the more frequently I see parallels in parenting.
If my child has a need, but never mentions it to me, it makes me feel let-down. The child does not trust me enough to be able to meet his need. Maybe the child is afraid to ask, afraid I’ll get upset. Afraid I will belittle him or excuse the request as insignificant. It reveals their lack of faith in me if they don’t ask. What a disappointment! I want my kids to ask whatever they will: big needs, little needs, desires and wants! I am honored by their asking me because it shows a relationship of trust between us.
So it is with our heavenly Father; he says “Ask anything in my name. Be persistent in your requests. Even though I know all your needs beforehand, please ask!”
When we ask God for things, he is honored.
How is he honored?
We reveal a level of trust in our asking.
There is a display of faith, simply by asking.
It is an act of humility to ask God for a thing, for in so doing we acknowledge our need. We acknowledge our inability to supply our own answers, meet our own needs.
This is honoring to God.
Just as we want our children to come to us as parents with any request – big or small, insignificant or dire, we want them to ask. There is trust in asking. There is faith in asking. There is connection and dependency in the asking.
Imagine if your child never asked you for anything. How would that make you feel? What does it reveal about a relationship if there is no freedom to ask for things?
As our children mature, and grow in grace and wisdom, their requests become more naturally aligned to our hearts and direction. Instead of asking for petty trifles, they start asking for things of greater value and significance. Their worldview begins to change, usually bringing more depth to their requests.
Thus, it is with us and the heavenly Father as well: as we mature in our journey in knowing the Father, our requests move closer to his purposes and align with his will. This shows maturity as sons and daughters of God. (See Romans 8:14-17 TPT)
This week I experienced a gentle rebuke from the Father for failing to ask him for something. Earlier this summer, I found a vacation rental property in FL for our 2-week vacation coming up in October. It cost more than I wanted to pay, but it was the only place I could find that met our needs. So, I booked it. A month later, I was notified that the property had been sold. However, the new owners were honoring the rental agreements that had been signed prior to the sale. All well and good.
We are now one week away from leaving on this long-anticipated vacation, and I receive a phone call from the current owner, canceling our booking due to renovations not being completed in time for our stay there.
OK. Now what?
She said there is another home available in the same area, meeting the specifications of what we needed. She refunded the money, I quickly looked up this other home, found it to be what we required and proceeded to book it. But this time, the cost was much less than what I had originally paid! In total, I was left with $700 dollars more by booking house #2 instead of house #1! What an unexpected gift!
In all of this, I hear a kind rebuke from my Father: “Why didn’t you ask me about a house earlier in the summer when you were looking?”
I respond with “Well, God, I really didn’t think you’d be bothered by something like this. I mean, going on vacation isn’t even super spiritual! Why would you care about which house we vacation in?”
I hear him smile through a sigh and respond with “I am honored when you ask me for things, daughter. Ask. Just like it shows trust, faith, and connection when your children ask you for things, so it shows me the same when you ask me for things. Ask! I love it when you make requests!”
Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude.
Philippians 4:6-7 TPT
Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ.
Ask. Make your requests know to the Father.
He is honored by this.
There is nothing so small but that we may honor God by asking His guidance of it – or insult Him by taking it into our own hands.
John Ruskin