Didja' Ask?

For festive occasions,

I bought an adorable Wilton cupcake stand.

With my 40% off Michael's coupon,

it was a great deal.

Everything looks better on this stand.

I think it even tastes better, too.

The food, not the stand.

It promised to make all my parties and occasions

more festive,

more fun,

more memorable.

Then, I lost a piece.

It was just a small metal rod with threads on each end.

If anybody in the house found it,

they would think it was garbage.

But, without the little rod,

my stand was useless.

I couldn't throw it away,

and I didn't want to buy another one.

After it sat  in my cupboard for months,

then I moved it to the kitchen counter,
where it slightly frustrated and annoyed me

everytime I saw it.

I couldn't put it away,

but didn't think I could deal with it.

It sat there so long,
I kinda' forgot about it.

One day, I was wiping the counter around it,
and finally decided to write to Wilton.

I thought it might be cheaper to buy the new piece,

than a whole new cupcake stand.

They sent me a new one.

Very quickly.

For free.

It was so simple,

I wondered why I didn't ask sooner.

One little email

and that nagging problem on the counter

was solved, restored and useful again.

We have other little problems in our lives.

Little things that bother us,

nag us out,

maybe even make us lose sleep.

Sometimes they are so deep, we are sure there is no solution.

So we let those problems sit and taunt us.

 James 4:2 teaches us

"you do not have because you do not ask."

It is so simple.

Verse 6 tells us He will give what we need.

"But He gives more grace..."

This verse continues by giving a reason why we don't ask.

Pride.

“ ...God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.”

Ouch.

We're too proud to ask for help when we need it?

Maybe we like pouting.
Maybe we think we can come up with our own solution.
Maybe we just forget.
Maybe the problem has been  there so long,
we just lose hope that it can be solved.

Maybe we like sitting useless on the counter,
with a missing piece,
so we can whine and fuss
about the missing piece.

Whenever the Lord has an
OUCH in the Scriptures,
where He has to speak the truth in love,
it is always followed up with His yearning for us
to come to Him
with our missing pieces.

James 4:7-10

Therefore submit to God.

Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners;
and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Lament and mourn and weep!

Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord,
and He will lift you up.

 

So,

what are you gunna' ask for?