A WORD WITH YOU
By Ron Hutchcraft
#5302 - "What to Ask a King For"
Jeremiah 33:2-3
A local pastor told me about an incident that reportedly happened when a
world-famous professional golfer was playing in Saudi Arabia. Apparently,
the King was so impressed with this man's playing that he said to him, "I'd
like to give you a gift of appreciation." Now this renowned golfer told the
King that no gift was necessary; he just appreciated the opportunity to
play in his country. But the King was insistent, not only that the golfer
receive a gift, but that he could name any gift he wanted.
Well, after just a brief moment to think about it, he just said, "A golf
club." He thought maybe the King would give him a golf club that had some
gold or maybe even a jewel in it. Well, a few days later, a representative
of the King came to the golfer's hotel to present the King's gift - an
object that was only about a foot long, carried inside a leather pouch.
Now, apparently this was going to be a fairly small golf club. Then the
golfer opened the pouch only to discover inside a deed - a deed that made
him the owner of a golf club, as in the hundreds of acres that made up the
beautiful golf club he had been given!
Now this famous golfer had one observation to make after this
overwhelming response to his request. He said, "In the presence of a great
king, you do not ask for small gifts!" How right he is.
Listen to our word for today from the Word of God. It's about the King
who made all the other kings! Jeremiah 33:2-3, "This is what the Lord says,
He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it - the Lord
is His name." Those are our King's awesome credentials. Now, based on who
He is, God says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and
unsearchable things you do not know."
I'm reminded of a companion promise in the New Testament. Ephesians 3:20
identifies our Lord as "Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we
ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Now I
hate to say it, but in light of the kind of King we have and the kind of
promises He's made to us, most of our prayers are pretty lame. We come into
the Throne Room from which the universe is governed with our little "Dear
God" ditties: "Dear God, thank You for this day, thank You for Your many
blessings, forgive us of our many sins, help us with our many problems, and
bless the missionaries, whoever they may be. Amen."
Our praying is often just so predictable, so routine, and that is an
insult to the God who's invited us to come to Him for "no small gifts."
When's the last time you really believed God for some things that are so
big that only God could do them? Or have you been praying you-sized
prayers, man-sized prayers, earth-sized prayers? We're guilty of really
underpraying and undertrusting! When you pray, take a little time to focus
on the God whose awesome presence you have just entered - the One who
controls 100 billion galaxies! Do you pray like that? Let yourself be
overwhelmed...not by your problems or your questions, but by the size of
your Lord! Then pray in ways that are worthy of the great God you're with!
The hymn writer had it right, "O what peace we often forfeit, O what
needless pain we bear all because we do not carry everything to God in
prayer." Remember, when you pray, you are in the presence of the King of
all kings. Don't ask for small gifts!
Copyright (c) 2007, Ron Hutchcraft.
Got a little couch potato?
Check out fun summer activities for kids.
Disclaimer
This email (and any attachment/s) is confidential and for viewing only by
the intended recipient/s. If you received this in error, please notify us
immediately and delete all copies. Any unauthorized access to, review,
reproduction, dissemination or other use of the information contained
herein is strictly prohibited. San Miguel Corporation (SMC) does not
guarantee the security of any information electronically transmitted.
SMC is not liable for the proper and complete transmission of the
information contained in this email nor for any delay in its receipt. The
use of email for any unlawful purpose or for any purpose other than as
permitted by SMC is strictly prohibited. Opinions, conclusions and
statements in this email are opinions, conclusions and statements of the
sender and are not necessarily given, endorsed, espoused or expressed by
SMC.
"From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been
forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it."
Matthew 11:12
Do you want to be a worldchanger?
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldchangers2010/
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldchangers2010/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/worldchangers2010/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
