Here's a little background:
It seems whenever I'm struggling to open a jar, which is fairly often, I ask my great and mighty kid to help me open it. Then as soon as the words are out of my mouth, oops! There goes the lid. So I then tell him, "Nevermind. I got it." It has happened so often that I've told him that whenever I'm struggling to open a jar, I'm just going to ask him if he can open it for me because whenever I do, it opens. There has been very VERY few times that he's actually had to open a jar after I've asked.
So yesterday I was struggling with yet another jar. This time it was paint. I know, I know.....why would I put paint in a jar? My kid asked me the same question, and I'll give you the same answer I gave him: "Because it was the only container with a lid I could find when I was mixing the paint."
Anyway, I was struggling to open my jar of chartreuse paint. I tried twisting the lid with my right hand. I tried with my left hand. I tried tapping the side of the lid on something. All my usual jar-opening rituals--to no avail. So I went into the house (I was painting outside) and yelled to my great and mighty kid, "Can you open this jar for me?" I gave the lid one more twist. Then oops! There goes the lid! "Nevermind. I got it." As he walked away I told him, "See? All I need to do is ask."
YES! That was it. Did you miss it? "All I need to do is ask."
God spoke loud and clear on that one! All I need to do is ask. Whatever need I have, all I need to do is ask.
Peace? All I need to do is ask.
Healing? All I need to do is ask.
Strength? All I need to do is ask.
Provision? All I need to do is ask.
Grace? All I need to do is ask.
Boldness? All I need to do is ask.
Confidence? All I need to do is ask.
Love? All I need to do is ask.
Hope? ....you get the picture.
Wow!
Thank You, Lord, for this reminder. I don't have to try to do things on my own. I don't have to worry about the things I need. I don't have to do anything to get these things from You. All I need to do is ask.
Oh my! Even now my heart is bursting with joy because of this revelation. Bursting with gratitude and thankfulness at His awesome goodness.
But why does it take my head and heart so long to realize this, when there is verse after verse that tells me this? It was definitely an "Aha!" moment. More like an "Ah God!" moment. I just love it!
Here are some verses to help me to remember:
*Matthew 6:8 ...for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
*Matthew 7:7-11 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or is he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!
*Matthew 18:19 Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.
*Matthew 21:22 If you believe (this seems to be the only prerequisite to my asking), you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.
*Luke 11:13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
*John 14:13-14 And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask Me for anything in My name, and I will do it.
*John 15:7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be given you.
*John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
*John 16:23-24,26 In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. Very truly I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in My name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.... In that day you will ask in My name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. (Wow! If you can't find any others, these few verses sure have this asking thing covered)
*James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
*James 4:2-3 You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
*1 John 5:14-15 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.
And here's one unrelated to asking, but I thought it was pretty appropriate for the jar thing:
*2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. (I think I found a treasure in my jar yesterday!)
