All that to say Sunday a week ago, we broke my 6-year-old great nephew into the family circle of “Chicken Foot.” It is like a Sunday afternoon rite of passage. All was going perfectly well until he ended up with a large number count of dominoes at the end of a particular hand. He promptly got up and pouted his way from the kitchen table to the time out room for pouters and attitude bearers. Ha,ha
Of course, the adults continued playing out the numerous hands until the final round, and the winner was announced. Eventually, my great nephew made his way back to the family, but the game was over. A little bit later I had to run an errand. He decided to go with me. On the way back he said, “I wished we could play ‘Chicken Foot’ again, but I know Granny and Nana probably won’t want to.” I immediately found that teaching moment! “Honey,” I said, “You know what God’s word says?” “What?” he asked. “It says we have not, because we ask not.” “What?” he replied. I said, “God’s word says you have not, because you ask not. How do you know if Granny and Nana will play with us unless you ask them? All they can do is say, ‘no,’ but they might say, ‘yes.’ If they say, ‘no,’ at least you asked. That is what God wants us to learn to do as His children. To ask.” Well, he processed that as much as a 6-year-old can. (Yes, I’m taking some liberty with the principle of “you have not, because you ask not.” But, lighten up and enjoy this.)
When we got back to Granny’s I had to laugh as I watched him work himself up to asking if Granny and Nana wanted to play “Chicken Foot” again. It was fun to watch because only I knew what was going on. Eventually he asked and to his surprise, and mine too (oh me of little faith), they agreed to play a couple of rounds. When we were done I asked him, “What did you learn today?” He replied, “You have not, because you ask not. And if they say yes… good, but if they don’t that is ok too, because I asked.”
Have you asked lately? Asked God for help, asked Him to meet a need, asked Him to forgive you, to restore you, to heal you, etc. Or have you avoided asking Him because you have done something that makes you believe He won’t be interested in answering you? And/or you have decided for Him it is supposed to be this way, and/or you secretly don’t believe He can answer it. Stop believing those lies!!
Matthew 19:26 (ESV)
But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
But what if he doesn’t do the impossible? What if He says no to what we want? We must remember that He is a good God with a good plan and a purpose for everything. He wants the best for each of us and is looking at it from an eternal perspective… not temporal. No matter how hard that is for us. No matter how we feel about it, God is a good Father and will do what is in everyone’s ultimate best interest; even though as His children we do not understand that many times. Just like our children don’t understand our decision making as a parent to them. However, we see from the perspective of life and experience. We know things they don’t understand and have knowledge of yet. In the same manner, He knows things we don’t have understanding about or knowledge of and acts in our best interest. When we know the truth of God’s word and His promise and His love for us, we can always trust that He acts according to His will for our best and His Glory no matter how we feel.
Quito Update...
We are just over 7 weeks out from our departure to Quito, Ecuador. Things are coming together as we prepare. You are making those special touches so many of you do through praying, gifting, giving, and going. I love that we have so many fingerprints (touches) from so many of you before we ever leave the country, and while we are there, as you continue to go with us through prayers. We have had more missionaries sponsored since our last update. So, now we only have 13 more missionary women to go. Please continue to pray and give as He leads you.
Asking,
Love you Guys,
His,
Vickie
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