How Do You Ask?

GodWords Newsletter #80

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“I want a cookie.”

This is a common plea when you’re around young kids. My parents would respond with the same phrase each time: “How do you ask?” Of course, the answer is to ask with a “please.”

When we pray, we’re usually asking God for something. Whether that something is for ourselves or for others, the word itself, from the 13th century, means “to ask earnestly.” I earnestly wanted a cookie, so 800 years ago I might have asked, “I pray thee mother, might I have a cookie?” to which she would have replied, “How dost thou ask?”

There are lots of prayers in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. If you’re like me, you may have glossed over one of the coolest parts of one of the best prayers.

The apostle Paul prayed for the Christians in Ephesus. He asked God to strengthen them so that Christ might dwell in their hearts. That’s nice, right? Sounds like the kind of prayer we might hear in church. He also prayed that they would be able to grasp how enormously Jesus loved them, and that they would be filled up with everything God had for them. Very kind, right? Here’s the text:

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Take a look at that again, would you? Paul wanted the Christians in Ephesus to have POWER to grow spiritually, and to have POWER to understand how much they were loved. Not just a little, but completely filled up with it. What a great prayer!

As they say in the late-night informercials: but wait, there’s more! Check out the very next part:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Paul didn’t just pray for them… he prayed to the One who can do more than we ask or imagine. Like you and me, the Ephesians couldn’t even ASK for everything God can give them! In their wildest imagination, in their boldest request at the foot of God’s throne, they couldn’t even begin to IMAGINE all that God wants for them!

Paul definitely wasn’t asking God to give them wealth, or health, or good relationships with family, or long lives. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but they weren’t on this list. What Paul wanted for them was what God wanted for them: to know Him better.

We should pray like that. We should “ask earnestly” that God would give us more of Himself than we can even imagine. We don’t know how to ask for that much, but we can be assured that God wants to give us that much of Himself anyway. That’s what He’s like.

How do you ask? From now on, I’m going to try to remember to ask God for more of Himself than I can even ask for.

I love you all.
❤️

Human Kintsugi
Are you broken? Have you been shattered but not mended? There is an Artisan who will not only patch you up, but remake you better. Once again

Vance Gatlin

provides.

Ephesians Overview by the Bible Project
One of the most helpful resources for understanding the big picture of Scripture comes from the Bible Project. They have animated videos explaining each book of the Bible… breaking them down into understandable sections, hitting the highlights, and they don’t get bogged down in the details. Video, 8:56

How Do Spiritually Mature Christians Handle Suffering?
We tend to think that spiritual maturity somehow inoculates us against the pain of suffering. We falsely imagine that the more spiritually mature we are, the less emotional pain we will experience when we suffer.

Enjoying the Beauty of Prayer
There are times when I feel like prayer is a duty that must be fulfilled. I long to enjoy prayer more… to bask in God’s presence, to enjoy communing with Him over and over.

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The Parables of Jesus

How many parables did Jesus teach? What are they about? Where can I find them? Jesus taught many times using parables, which are simple, earthly stories that explain a more complex, spiritual truth. Here’s a list.

Read It Now →

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Jesus’ mission is not to make converts, and it never has been. His mission is to make disciples.
– Jim Putnam

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Now To Him: Acappella

Along with Glad, Acappella was the most prominent Christian vocal group of the 80s and 90s. This song, which is fun to sing along with, is simply the text of Ephesians 3:20-21 set to… well, music, but without instruments. I recommend everything that Acappella has done, including the Acappella Vocal Band, Vocal Union, and The Vocal Union. They were all led by Keith Lancaster, whose solo work is also top-notch.

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