Asking God
I wrote this on September 16, 2021 in a prompt entitled Ask A Generous God:
The life of abiding requires daily dependency on God. It means we get to experience wonderful miracles of God’s provisional grace, but it also means we will face moments of doubt where we are in need and unsure of the solution. James 1:5 (ESV) says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
God is a generous giver. He does not hold back from giving us what we need when we ask Him, but He will not give us only what we want. He knows what we need better than we know it for ourselves.
When we pray, there can be an underlying pressure to know exactly what to say. We might feel like we need to have a strong argument or a solid list of reasons for what we are requesting. We are not asking for item approval on a tight budget. We are asking the God of heaven who has no limits.
Could it be that we pray this way because we do not believe that God will listen to us otherwise? The truth is that God has been listening to half-finished, incoherent, and last-minute prayers for millennia. He has been answering the cry of weary and desperate people for thousands of generations.
One of the things James is saying here is, “just ask God.”
Jesus said the same thing in Luke 11:9 (ESV), saying, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
Do you have a need today? Ask as scripture instructs us. Ask for wisdom. God will give it generously to you. There is no special prayer that unlocks God’s favor. Just come to him with a humble and open heart, and trust him.
Amen.
In light of what Jacob wrote yesterday about desiring and being desired by God, I wonder what is keeping you from asking this generous God for what you need? Is there something hindering your faith or masking his goodness? Jesus, open our eyes to the truth of who you are. We want to encounter you today.
-
Abiding happens daily in his presence. Abiding Daily is a simple and practical reminder to stay connected to the vine. Each prompt is inspired by the scriptures and designed to point you toward prayer and encounter. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
-
Our first devotional book is available on our online store! Abiding Daily: Volume One is a devotional book including 120 prompts from the Daily Invitation. This book is designed to help believers connect with God through the word and discover more of what it means to abide in Christ. Click here to learn more.
