If you know me at all, you know that homemade biscuits are NOT my thing. But, my oldest son asked for them and since I'm on a mission to feed my two sons the best food ever, anytime they want it, in order to ensure they come see me on a weekly basis once they've chosen another woman who is not their mama, I gladly obliged. However, after getting everything going in the kitchen, I reached for all-purpose flour, which the recipe called for and realized I was out of white and had only whole-wheat on hand. I was going to go ahead with that until I realized the date said, "best before Sept. 2011." I then reached for the baking powder and realized the date on it read, "best before 2005!!!" Knowing that I could not fail my firstborn and risk losing him forever to another female's inferior cooking, I did what any niece would do who lives within 1 minute of 3 of her aunts, I facebooked one and asked to borrow the ingredients. My wonderful Aunt Paula was home and had what I needed so I hopped in the car and sped over.
On the short drive over, I started thinking, as I often do, about how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family who will give just about anything I ask. I have my Uncle Roger's drill in my garage he loaned me 3 weeks ago. I ate okra and tomatoes from my Uncle Donnie's garden this summer. I ate my Aunt Paula's flour and baking powder in what turned out to be the best biscuits I ever made tonight. I can't even begin to describe all of the wonderful things my family does for me. (I'm not even mentioning my parents here because this blog wouldn't contain all the things they do for me.)
The thing that is so amazing about their giving is not that they give, rather it is the feeling of security in my asking. When I saw the dates on those needed items tonight, I never doubted or feared about calling my aunt and asking for them. I had complete assurance that she would not fuss or hesitate in giving me whatever I asked. That is the way with all of my family. I even joked with her about how good it is to be so loved. And she agreed! I am loved. It is that love that gives me the license to ask for what I need and to not feel shy or worried that I will be denied.
I started thinking about how the Lord loves me even more than my family does and how He also wants to give me what I ask. Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? And about how He is always willing to give me whatever I ask if I ask is His name. John 14:13-14 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
We can have security in asking things of God for the same reason we can have security asking things of our family, because He loves us and wants to do things for us. We do not have to hesitate to ask Him or worry about how He might react. How wonderful is that feeling? I know that when I am "out of" a necessary ingredient, I can go to God and ask for it. And, I can go with confidence because I know how much He loves me.
Then I started thinking about how I have such confidence because I've always been shown love and that confidence has been fostered throughout my whole life. But what about those out there who do not feel that kind of love from others and therefore have no confidence in asking. I thought about those who do not really understand the love of God because they have never felt it from anyone. It is our job to go into the world and give that love. Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." It's the exact same concept that's mentioned in John 14. God gives what I ask so that He may be glorified. We should give love so that God may be glorified.
We should show people so much love that they can feel a sense of security just like I feel when I call my family and ask them for biscuit dough! So that, whenever that otherwise unloved person realizes what an amazingly loving God we serve, they will have the confidence to call Him up and speed over to get what they need to complete their recipe. I pray that I can be a person that shows so much love to others that it gives them the confidence required to ask whatever they need from God.
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