All this week Friendly’s restaurant in our little city is providing huge sundaes free in honor of the Patriots’ Super Bowl win this past Sunday. There is a catch. You have to ask. There are no signs on the door or anywhere. It’s one of those things you have to know. We’ve already taken advantage yesterday and today. I think I’ve reached my sugar limit and won’t go tomorrow.
As I was spooning down hot fudge and vanilla ice cream this afternoon I thought of Jesus’ sayings in the Sermon on the Mount, “Ask and it will be given to you.” Matthew 7:7 “How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Matthew 7:11 And in Matthew 6:8 He said, “Be not you therefore like unto them: for your Father knows what things you have need of, before ye ask him.”
This is fascinating. Before we ask our Father knows our needs and yet we are instructed to ask. Could this possibly have something to do with God’s battle with Satan? Satan accused God of pampering Job. Satan said God gave Him everything. Could it be that if we ask, God can respond to Satan’s accusation by saying we asked?
Whatever the reason, unlike Friendly’s that doesn’t tell unless we ask, God tells us what we can have? The Bible is full of promises for care, food, forgiveness, peace of mind and many other blessings. God is a great parent and if what we ask is good for us, we can be sure it will be given. If we ask for things that will ultimately harm us, the answer is no. Check out the story of Hezekiah asking for fifteen more years of life. That didn’t work out very well.