Ask…

As parents of players on a sports team, there are certain obligations you are expected to meet. Concession stand, ticket sales, fundraising… you know the drill. One particular Friday night, my hubby and I were confined to a small 5ft square space selling tickets to the school football game.

Once we got past the pressure of handling money, it was kinda fun. (Side note: I learned I need remedial math or math for parents who work ticket sales booths.) I got to wear a headset and talk into a microphone. Evidently, the scheduler was unaware of my reputation for wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting public with my special brand of humor. Give me the ability to project my voice into the dark night from behind an enclosed space and there were just too many opportunities to resist. Poor girl probably didn’t know what to say when I told her she had to pay double simply because she wasn’t wearing anything with the school name on it. And I personally loved the opportunity to say into a muffled microphone:

“Hi welcome to the stadium, may I take your order please?” 

And of course I had to add “Would you like fries with that?”

It was all I could do not to say something marvelously poetic when folks walked up to the window and simply stood there. Um, Hello. In case you are unaware, I am not one of those people who can read minds. I did not take that class in college. So I’m sorry but you are going to have to tell me how many tickets you need.

I cannot tell you how many times that happened. Families, adults, students… they would walk to the window and just stare at me. And for a good minute or two. Saying not one word. I always greeted them nicely and soon they would remember why they were there. Then the transaction would commence.

Ok, I didn’t always greet them with the expected, “May I help you?” Sometimes, I said “Paper or Plastic?” But hey, it was their own fault. They stood there in a fog and someone had given me a microphone.

I’m fairly certain no one will let me back in the ticket sales area. But it was fun while it lasted.

During the hours this little scenario played out over and over, I had time to think about the simplicity of the process of “asking” for something. It’s really an easy thing to do. Ask. But sometimes, we don’t know what to say or how to say it. Sometimes, we don’t even know what to ask for. We know we need something but we don’t know what, how to get it, who to go to or when to ask. We walk up aimlessly and stare…stare at the ceiling and hope God knows what we need. We say nothing. Yes, God already knows what we need before we ask. But the Word also says we do not have because we do not ask (James 4:2).

Ask Him. Ask God for what you need. Staring at the ceiling isn’t going to work.  But simply asking Him for help will. Ask…

Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better? Matthew 7:7-11 The Message

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:7-11 NIV

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