If someone were to ask you, "What do you need God to do right now in your life?" What would you say? What would your answer be? What is the desire that you have deep down in your heart - that you would never admit to anyone else?
If we're being honest, my answer would be that I need God to heal Evan. Just flat out heal him of seizures and make him walk and talk. That's what I would ask.
But here's another question: have you even asked God to do that thing? Have you even dared to be so bold in your prayers? We are told to "approach the throne of grace with confidence" (Hebrews 4:16). We're also told that we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2). Jesus Himself tells us to "Ask, and it will be given to you." (Matthew 7:7)
So what keeps us from asking?
Are we afraid? Are we scared to ask because God might not answer? Or are we afraid He can't do what we need Him to do? We don't believe Him enough. We don't think He hears us. We don't think He wants to answer us because we have done something wrong. He didn't answer us that other time we prayed. Or maybe He did. Maybe His answer was "no" when we wanted a "yes," but it turned out better anyway.
Paul gives us the anecdote for this whole line of thinking in Ephesians 3 when he bursts forth in praise saying, "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." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Rebecca. You have quoted this verse before.
Yes, I have. But here's the thing. For the past couple of weeks, my heart has been anxious to the point of making myself sick over Evan and some other things happening in my life. I have prayed - don't think I haven't - I have prayed to the point of tears for God to do this huge thing. I have begged and pleaded. But over and over again, Ephesians 3:20 has come to my mind or been put before me. And today it finally clicked. That thing I'm asking for? He can do immeasurably more. Immeasurably. Dictionary.com says that means "incapable of being measured; limitless." Most translations of this Bible verse include the word "abundantly," often with the adverb "super" or "exceedingly" before it. This all describes our God perfectly. He is incapable of being measured. He is limitless. He is pretty super. And He is exceedingly abundant in His dealings with His children.
So the things I'm asking Him for - even though they seem huge and impossible - He can do more than that. It finally hit me today as I was getting ready for supper tonight, and I had heard that verse yet again today on the radio. God wants to do immeasurably more. He wants to do even more than what I'm praying. He wants to shock us with what He can do. He wants us to believe Him for the limitless, the super abundant. Let's be bold enough to ask Him to do it. And then let's wait expectantly for Him to do it!
If we're being honest, my answer would be that I need God to heal Evan. Just flat out heal him of seizures and make him walk and talk. That's what I would ask.
But here's another question: have you even asked God to do that thing? Have you even dared to be so bold in your prayers? We are told to "approach the throne of grace with confidence" (Hebrews 4:16). We're also told that we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2). Jesus Himself tells us to "Ask, and it will be given to you." (Matthew 7:7)
So what keeps us from asking?
Are we afraid? Are we scared to ask because God might not answer? Or are we afraid He can't do what we need Him to do? We don't believe Him enough. We don't think He hears us. We don't think He wants to answer us because we have done something wrong. He didn't answer us that other time we prayed. Or maybe He did. Maybe His answer was "no" when we wanted a "yes," but it turned out better anyway.
Paul gives us the anecdote for this whole line of thinking in Ephesians 3 when he bursts forth in praise saying, "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." (Ephesians 3:20-21)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Rebecca. You have quoted this verse before.
Yes, I have. But here's the thing. For the past couple of weeks, my heart has been anxious to the point of making myself sick over Evan and some other things happening in my life. I have prayed - don't think I haven't - I have prayed to the point of tears for God to do this huge thing. I have begged and pleaded. But over and over again, Ephesians 3:20 has come to my mind or been put before me. And today it finally clicked. That thing I'm asking for? He can do immeasurably more. Immeasurably. Dictionary.com says that means "incapable of being measured; limitless." Most translations of this Bible verse include the word "abundantly," often with the adverb "super" or "exceedingly" before it. This all describes our God perfectly. He is incapable of being measured. He is limitless. He is pretty super. And He is exceedingly abundant in His dealings with His children.
So the things I'm asking Him for - even though they seem huge and impossible - He can do more than that. It finally hit me today as I was getting ready for supper tonight, and I had heard that verse yet again today on the radio. God wants to do immeasurably more. He wants to do even more than what I'm praying. He wants to shock us with what He can do. He wants us to believe Him for the limitless, the super abundant. Let's be bold enough to ask Him to do it. And then let's wait expectantly for Him to do it!
Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (Ephesians 3:21, The Message)
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! (Ephesians 3:21, The Message)
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| Just a picture of my cute kid. Just because. |
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