Daily Hope with Rick Warren 7 August 2024, Wednesday Devotional Message
God Is Waiting for You to Ask
By Rick Warren
“If you… 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 7:11 (NIV)
God is the source of everything. He made everything you see in the world—and everything you can’t see in the world and in the universe.
As you depend on God as your source for everything, there are four truths you need to remember.
First, everything is a gift from God.
Nothing you have has really been earned. It’s all a gift of God’s grace. If God didn’t want to give it, then you wouldn’t have it.
James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above” (NIV). That’s why the Lord’s Prayer says, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Why? Because everything God gives you is a gift. You can’t earn it—thank God for that, because none of us could work hard enough to deserve his good gifts.
Second, there’s nothing you need that God can’t provide. You don’t know what you’re going to need the rest of this year. But God knows, and he has the power to supply whatever it is.
The Bible says in Philippians 4:19, “My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (NIV). This means God gives gifts as only someone with unlimited resources could do. It won’t always look like you expected or wanted, but his gifts are always just what you need and for your good.
Third, God wants to give you everything you need.
Matthew 7:11 says, “If you … 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!” (NIV). God is not obligated to be generous to us. He does it all out of his love. And he doesn’t hold back!
And here’s the fourth thing: God is waiting on you.
If you have needs in your life that are not being met, it’s not God’s fault. You’re not waiting on God. He’s waiting on you. James 4:2 says, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (NIV).
You don’t have to wait to clean yourself up or get things together before you ask God for something. He’s ready and waiting for you to ask him. When you do, you’ll discover just how good and generous a Father he is.
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