(by missionary Garry Matheny, Romania)

Of course, God may say no, but He wants us to look to Him in prayer for our dreams. There are things God will not give us, simply because we will not ask Him! The Bible says, “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2). For some, it’s pride that keeps them from asking God. “I don’t need any help” is their attitude. There are some things you could have had already in your life, but you have not asked Him. So, “Ye have not, because ye ask not.” Why haven’t you asked God? You don’t want to get your heart right with Him? You forgot? Lack of faith? When I get to heaven, the last thing I would want to hear is, “See all these things I wanted to give you while you were on Earth, but you forgot to ask!” Many people get through life without God’s help, but why live on such a low plain? And if God gives us something, He expects us to use it for Him.

If God says no to your request, or you don’t get an answer right away, then praise Him anyway; but ask! In Joshua 15:18–19, Caleb’s daughter receives some land from her father, but it is a dry land without water. She asked, “Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.” She was not afraid to ask. If you have the thought, “I should just be satisfied with what I have and not bother anyone,” then you may end up with a south land with no water on it. True, this would be better than no land at all, but why not have both? Notice she did not ask for one spring but for “springs,” and her father gives her at least four (see verse 19). When she asked, she could have said, “May I have a spring?” But hey, if you’re not afraid to ask, then ask for “springs”!