What if we asked?

What if we actually asked God for what we wanted and needed?

Not just to heal our sick friends and comfort our lonely relatives. to be with us and guide us. For His presence, love, protection, and voice. For justice and peace on this earth. These are great things to pray for. I pray for them often. You probably do, too. These are obviously things we want and need. Genuinely. And things God wants to give us, I believe.

But what if we asked God for what we really want? For what we desperately need?

John 16:24: "Until now you have not asked me for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete."

I read this verse and it really struck me. In context, Jesus is preparing His disciples for His death. His returning to them and leaving them. Explaining that the Father God will give them whatever they ask for in His name. Jesus won't be there to ask God on their behalf, but God loves them and will answer as they ask in His name.

Ask and you will receive. What a simple concept. Ask...receive. Ask...receive. Ask...receive.

So why don't we ask? Why don't I ask?

"Until now you have not asked me for anything in my name."

Well obviously the disciples had no need to do so. They could turn to Jesus, look him in the eye, and ask him directly. But I read those words as if they were coming straight from Jesus standing right in front of me staring me dead in the eye.

"Jessie, until now you have not asked me for anything in my name."

Now, I definitely don't pray as much as I'd like to. Certainly not as much as I know I should. But I've prayed "in Jesus' name" a bazillion times. I typically end my prayers with it. So what was He saying to me?

"Jessie, until now you have not asked for anything in my name."

I realized that in this moment, God was more concerned with me asking for anything than declaring it His son's name. And He didn't mean anything as in any ordinary basic request that makes a frequent appearance in my prayers. No, he meant the big stuff. What I really want and desperately need. I never ask him for it.

The deepest longings of my heart. The burning desires that consume my thoughts. The biggest, craziest, but most beautiful dreams. I don't ask Him for what I really want.

The things I hunger painfully without. Desperately thirst for. Grow weary and weak without. Require for anything more than simple survival. I don't ask Him for what I really need either.

But God himself placed those desires in my heart. Wired me with those specific passions. And created me to live out those precious dreams.

As long as I'm staying true to the heartbeat He placed inside me, and wanting the desires that naturally comes from it, God wants those same things for me.

But I must ask to receive.

And those places where I'm hungry and tired and weak and weary. Those things I need to bring me rest and peace and joy. He wants to complete my joy.

But I must ask to receive.

What if we asked?

What if we allowed God to honor the deepest desires and craziest dreams He created us with...by simply asking for them?

And what if we in the mist of despair boldly and honestly asked for what we desperately needed?

I think we would receive. Our joy would be complete. We would be transformed. And this world would never be the same.