The other day I was preparing what I was going to share at our prison ministry when I thought of some content from a podcast that I wanted to share. Seeing that where we’re living doesn’t have wifi and I couldn’t download the podcast there, I decided to walk to our ministry host’s house to get some wifi.
When I got there I could hear Sharon and Billy talking inside but I didn’t want to intrude by asking to come in, so I decided to just sit outside the house and use their wifi. I felt a little bad mooching, but I figured it wasn’t a big deal. As I waited in the nice hot Filipino sun for my podcast to load on 1-bar wifi (you know, sitting outside the house will do that), I looked down and saw the tiniest, loveliest blue flower I’ve ever seen. It was probably an eighth of the size of my pinky nail. So tiny!! I was immediately overwhelmed by how intentional and creative my Papa is. I told myself that after my podcast loaded I would pick it and take it home to keep in my journal as a memory of God’s intentionality and care.
I waited another 10 minutes or so for my podcast to load and it didn’t seem like it was getting anywhere. I knew that if I asked Sharon if I could come in she would without a doubt say yes, but I figured that I’ve made it this far, I may as well just stick it out and save her the trouble, right?? Besides, I already felt a little bad for having been mooching her wifi (or attempting to) for the past 15 minutes without asking.
Suddenly I heard the front door opening and I don’t know what came over me but I BOLTED. Through the bush, down the road, and all the way home!! (Okay, it was only like 4 minutes, but the adrenaline was pumping, I swear) I probably looked crazy to all the Filippino onlookers in my sweats and flipflops, phone in hand, apparently running for my life for some reason.
To be honest, I felt a little crazy haha. Why was I running away??? Why did I leave when I didn’t even get my podcast downloaded or my lovely blue flower! What came over me that I for some reason felt the need to hide myself and run?
As I was running home, I heard the Lord say to me “Farrah, you know Sharon would have said yes if you had asked”
“Yeah, God, I know”
“You didn’t get your podcast or the lovely blue flower I had for you”
“Yeah, Papa, I know..”
Papa began to reveal to me that just like Sharon would have, He wants to say yes to me. He wants to say yes to us. But for some reason we get caught up in the shame of asking. We think “I don’t wanna inconvenience you, so I’ll just stay outside and figure it out myself, don’t worry”. But when we do this we miss out on all that God has for us. We wait forever trying to make it happen ourselves when in reality we can’t – the connection isn’t strong enough. And then when we see that our failed attempt is about to be revealed, we flee. We run away without getting what we needed. And not only do we not get what we need, but we miss out on the lovely blue flowers that Papa wants to gift us with.
Christ calls us to ask Him. He wants us to. He wants to give us good gifts.
Ask, and it will be given to you … for everyone who asks receives … So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. – Matthew 7:7-11
Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven. – Matthew 18:20
And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive. – Matthew 21:22
Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. – John 14:13-14
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. – Philippians 4:6
Verse after verse after verse, He tells us to ask.
As I think of my physical dad I know that if I have a need I can ask him for anything and he will absolutely do whatever he can to make it happen. My dad has been amazing. He’s given me the best gifts. He gives them to me without my asking for them just to bless me and let me know he loves me.
So if my dad, who is just a man, can love me in this way and say yes to me in this way can give me such good gifts, how much more can my perfect Papa?
He wants to us to ask Him so He can say yes!! If we never ask, how can we receive? But if we choose to believe that we are children of GOD – royalty!! – we can come before Him unashamed with our failed attempts and know that we can ask Him for that perfect gift that He is itching to give us.
