Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Ask and you will receive

 Most of us have the ‘I don’t wanna talk/think about it’ moments. These are those times when we are either going through bad times or are have issues in life that are really bothering us but talking or thinking about them causes us more pain. In most cases, they are things that we so much desire to have but never seem to receive or things that we go through that never seem to end. We may have prayed about them but the situations seem never to change so we result to either pushing them away from our minds or coming up with other things that keep us busy to try distract ourselves from the reality in our lives, yet deep inside we have great longing for them to be met.

Writing this, I am reminded of the Shunemite woman in 2 kings 4:8-37. The bible talks about her as being a well to do woman/a woman of a notable character. However, the bible says that this woman had no child of her own and she never seemed to need a child (verse 28). She had spent her life serving her husband and when the man of God came by, she extended a hand of service to him too. Her life had seemed complete although deep inside her, there was a great desire for her to have a child. I believe she must have given up on having children and thinking about it caused her so much pain. That is why when Elisha told her that she would have a son by the same time the following year; she thought that he was playing with her mind. Life must have seemed so disappointing and she must have given up on God.

The bible says that the following year, she gave birth to a son. However, the bible says that the son later died. At this point we see her great pain and frustration reaching its highest point after the death.  Like most of us, she put the ‘I don’t wanna talk about it attitude’ and could not even share what she was going through (the death of her son) with her husband; the father of her son.  It is this point we see her really pain and how she had tried to deal with her the pain of a desire, which was trying not to ask for it to be met. “Did I ask for a son from my Lord? Didn’t I tell you not to raise my hopes?” That was her question, full of bitterness and pain. It gives me joy however to see that although she did not want to share it with anyone, she finally realized that it was most appropriate to share it with the right person, the man of God. This was the person who had helped her achieve her desire. At this point, her son was brought to life and she took him with joy and I believe that she was finally happy to have her desire met. 

 I believe that maybe if this woman had decided not to kill her hopes and look to God to met her desire, she would not have thought that Elisha was playing with her mind when he gave her a promise/prophesy.  The same should be to us. We should not give up on God but should ask from Him all that we need. The bible in Psalms 2:7-8 says that we are His children and if we ask for anything, He will give us. I believe that the reason he puts desires (Godly desires) in us is so that He can test if we trust in His ability to meet them. It is therefore important that we don’t run away from them or try to push them away but to look to Him that He may meet them (Psalms 121). When we keep asking from Him and seeking Him, He will surely meet them.

God bless you and be encouraged to ask from Him. He is Jehovah Jireh.


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