Asking And Receiving

Useless information 
Using a fork was not always a demonstration of good manners. In fact, according to an anonymous writer, "It is coarse and ungraceful to throw food into the mouth as you would toss hay into a barn with a pitchfork."

Matthew 6:8
Don't be like them (gentiles), for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him.....

How does He know? How does God know what  I need even before it rolls off my tongue? Well, He is God....
O.k., I'll give Him that one. 
He does stand outside time and space.
Yes, He does....
Let's bring the answer down a little closer instead of giving a nebulous reply.
He knows what I need before I ask, because He is looking out for me. That means He sees before I see.

I use to have snacks ready for my sons when they came home from school.
Why? Because I knew that they would be hungry. God knows us...He knows our circumstances.....He knows in advance what it is we will need to make it through this day. O.K....if God knows all of this, then why do I have to ask Him for it? Does God require me to beg and grovel at His feet? God has no ego that has to be stroked by His creation. He wants me to ask because  it increases my faith when He does answer my prayers. It is evidence that He is listening. 

Another way of looking at this, is the position Jesus has called us to walk in. Did Jesus not say, "Follow Me!" when calling His disciples? Were they not required to leave their comfort zone to follow Him? Yes, they were. So Spiritually, to follow someone is to let them go first, then listen for their instruction and go where instructed. If Jesus is leading, then He knows what awaits us in this coming day. He knows the pitfalls and traps that are out there. He is ready to answer our prayers when we ask, so that we can navigate through whatever it is we are facing. 

I know that I have probably simplified this whole "Ask and you will receive" thing down a bit. I do know that when I ask in prayer for anything that is outside His will for me, He is not obligated to provide it. Oh He will answer my prayer, but it will probably be a big ol' "NO!". I have to trust Him that He really does know best for me. I think maybe I can rest on this fact. God loves me.....
God has a plan for me...
I trust Him to see this plan all the to the end.

God on you...
mbb