Thus saith the Lord God; I will yet for this be enquired of
by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a
flock. Ezekiel 36:37
When my children were young, and they had a request, I
always told them, “It never hurts to ask. The worst that can happen is, the
answer is no.” So, if they would not let fear get in the way, they would ask:
To the teacher, “May I change seats in the room?” To the friend, “May I have a
turn?” To the sibling, “May I borrow that shirt?” And so on. Another person
does not know you have a desire, or need, unless you ask.
God knows the desires of our hearts, but He still wants us
to come to Him and ask. The Israelite children had fallen into idolatry. They
had been made captives of the Babylonian Empire. Ezekiel had been commissioned
by God to give a message to these people in captivity.
His first message was a message of doom, judgment and
punishment. The second message, was to the foreign nation, letting them know
that the same fate would be theirs if they did not turn to the one true God.
The third message, was a message of hope. And this is where Ezekiel 36:37 fits
in.
God wanted the nation of Israel to turn from their wicked
ways, and come back to Him. He let them know that eventually He would restore
them, and increase their numbers, but He also wanted them to come to Him and
repent. All they needed to do was, ask.
Why do we find it so difficult to ask? Are we fearful of
rejection, embarrassment, or shame? Are we too prideful to admit we are lacking
something? We need to know that God, is a God of love. He would never reject
anyone who comes to Him in true repentance. He loves us, just like He loved the
children of Israel. His invitation to come to Him is open to all. He will
answer our pleas, and restore our hearts, minds, and souls.
If we have already asked for His forgiveness, then we should
continue to go to him with our requests. We need not worry that we are
bothering Him. No request can be too small, or too great for His grace, and
mercy. Our prayers of petition is a form of praise and worship, because our
entreaties are a reflection of our faith, reliance, dependence, and confidence
in Him. He is waiting for us to ask. If you have a desire, go to God, it never
hurts to ask.
Dear Father, I ask for your forgiveness. I accept your gift
of salvation, though Jesus. Amen
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