Dinner: Ask

James 4:1-3

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 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.

I view these verses both as a challenge, and as valuable instructiion for how to live, and how to pray.

We fight and argue with each other, trying to get what we want. James tells us rather than trying to get what we want, on our own (and usually failing), we do not get because we do not ask. It's that simple? All we have to do is ask? There is a caveat. He also instructs us that we ask, but we do not receive, if our motives are wrong.

When are our motives wrong? When they are intent on satisflying our own pleasure. I don't beleive that God wants us to be miserable all the time. Yet, praying for a job promotion, simply so that one has more money to buy a bigger house, is probably not on God's list of priorities. It is doubtful that the bigger house will strengthen your relationship with Jesus. Most likely, it will interfere as larger posessions tend to require more of our time and increases worries, both of which interfere with our faith lives.

For those of you who are parents, you know that we do not give our children everything they want. Yet, we will do all we can to provide for their needs. An example of that is my daughter, Adrienne, and her husband Ken. Their son, Isaac, has type 1 diabetes and a large number of food allergies, some of which are quite severe. They have spent a lot of time, and a lot of money, caring for him. They have been relentless in their pursuit of treatments for him. Isaac could not ask for more loving, caring parents. They provide all that they can to satisfy his needs. Yet, if he asks for a Snickers bar, the answer will be 'no.' It would not be good for him. In addition to causing high blood sugar, it might cause a severe allergic reaction.

So, I ask myself, what am I asking God for that may be for the wrong motives? What am I asking for that is simply for personal convenience or comfort? What am I asking for that I simply want to spend on my pleasures? What am I asking for that might interfere with my relationship with Jesus? Am I asking for a Snickers bar when He has a feast prepared for me?

I sometimes question if spending all this time writing this blog for Adam is with the right motives. I have given this considerable thought, and have prayed about it. I have asked God to reveal to me if this is how He wants me to spend my time. For now, here I am.

What are your motives? Is your spiritual life satisfying? Are you bold enough to ask God to provide you with a path to walk down? If you are lacking direction, it may be simply that you don't ask. For me, I sometimes fear that I won't like the answer.



Praise God for Adam's miraculous day on Monday. That's it. Let's simply praise God for this, and other miracles He has worked in our lives.

We'll unite one more time, this evening.