All we have to do is ask!

I went to church tonight and the preacher read from Luke 15, the prodigal son. This story is two-fold. It is about the prodigal son but it is also about the older brother. The youngest son realized he was part of the inheritance. The youngest son realized his place as a son of the father and thus one who inherits the father's belongings. However, the youngest son failed to be a loving son willing to serve his father. The oldest son was willing to serve the father but failed to recognize his place as the son and thus failed to see how all his father owned was also his. 


Often times we as Christians fail to access all the gifts God has for us. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead and cast out demons. God provided financial blessings, miracles, and peace of mind. In John 14:10-14, Jesus (who is the son of God) says He and the Father (God) are one. Jesus continues by saying if we believe in him then we will be able to to the things He has done and even greater things than these. Furthermore, Jesus informs us anything we request He will do. We can ask for anything in God's name and it will be done. ANYTHING! Not some things, not most things, ANYTHING! The younger son asked for the father's gifts then he wasted them. The oldest son never utilized the gifts his father had for him. 


I can see how confused the father of this story would be when he left the party to go speak to the oldest son. The oldest son says to the father, "I have served you all these years and ya never even gave me a goat so I could celebrate with my friends." I could see the father's puzzled look on his face as he responded, "Ya never asked. I gave your younger brother almost half of everything I own. Your brother asked for his entire inheritance and I gave it to him. Don't ya think if you had asked for a goat, I would have given it to ya? I would have given ya the fatted calf if ya wanted it. Everything I have is yours, all ya had to do was ask."


The interesting thing is, according to Jewish customs, the oldest son received a larger portion of the inheritance than the younger sons. The oldest son actually had more right to ask because he owned more of the inheritance than his younger brother. He just failed to ask. 


Now as Christians, all of the power, healing, peace, and wisdom that is God's is also ours because we are the sons and daughters of God. Everything God has is ours, all we have to do is ask. John 16:23-24 says "... I tell you, My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete." I really like that last part, and your joy will be complete. It is not God's wish for us to live sad and depressed. He desires us to plunge into His gifts, soak up all the wonderful things He has for us that our joy might be complete. 
ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS ASK!