Simple requests

All day long, between toddler-talk and whines, sweet Bubster is making requests to me. "Muck! Muck!" (milk). "nack! nack!" (snack). "tv! tv!" (I'm rather embarassed at that one). The other day, while restraining him on his changing table with one hand, grabbing a wipe and diaper with the other, he made another request.

"Book! Book!" I quickly grabbed a book from his shelf and said, "Thank you for such a simple request, Caleb." While wiping his tush, I began to think about requests. More specifically, what involves honoring a request. The person who is asked of, either has the power to honor a request or not. Some are simple, some are complex.

I had this awesome realization that there are no difficult requests for God. Everything is simple for Him. Hallelujah! It doesn't matter if your request would require Him to move Heaven and Earth or make it stop raining for three and a half years....He is more than able.

What does God's Word have to say about requests?

Luke 18:27, "But he [Jesus] said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."

James 5:16-18, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Let's get real here though, just because you may ask God of something, and it doesn't happen necessarily as you would expect...that does not mean that He is unable. Rather He has the best plan in mind. Also, be sure to examine your motives, as James explains.

James 4:2-3, "You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. 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."

Just bask/savor/enjoy/delight in the truth that God is able. When your loved one is dying, when you get called into your boss's office, when no money is leftover after paying the bills, when your kids have left you running ragged and bruised....when you're a sinner, in need of a loving Savior. He is able.

Hebrews 7:23-26, "Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens." (emphasis mine)