ALL We Ask

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

I was reading an article this morning that instantly spoke volumes to me, and really caused me to pause and think about my behavior. It says right here in Ephesians that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine... so why is it that we limit ourselves? The article I read was speaking directly about how we respond to our children. As my daughter's Christmas list grows longer and longer, who am I to tell her that it may just not happen this year? Instead, we should be talking to God about it- because He can certainly fill in the blanks with merely a thought.

I guess where I'm coming from is the idea that wanting things is selfish. I really struggle with that sometimes. You know, I have daydreams about walking into a place, filled with the glory of God and people just instantly start being healed of every disease and infirmity imaginable. While there is the big part of me and my faith that is getting to the place where I think that is totally possible, there is also the big part of me that says that is ridiculous- who am I to do those kinds of things. It's selfish and arrogant to be thinking that way.

And I think about a new home. One of these days we are going to move- we've extended our lease once while we consider our options. We've packed boxes and prepped most of the yard for moving out of here, and yet... Yet I can't help but think that maybe it's incorrect for me to be thinking that God is just going to drop the perfect place in our lap. Just last night I was thinking to myself, wondering if it's really okay for me to be asking God for the perfect place- I want the big house AND the big yard, and so far, it's been either one or the other. Or it's too far from where we want to be. Or the asking price is not where it needs to be. And then I think that maybe it just doesn't really matter- what if we're supposed to be thinking in the other direction and thinking that an apartment would be enough, as long as it was where God wants us to be.

Faith in conflict, that's what this is. I have faith that God is preparing the perfect place for us to move to, and He will reveal everything at just the perfect time. It's those earthly thoughts that get me every single time. If I think in terms of the world, we certainly don't belong in a big house with a big yard. Every time we start to even get a tiny bit close to our goal of owning a home, trouble comes crashing in and we start over back at the beginning of the process. By the worlds standards, we don't deserve a house, probably ever. But we are not of this world now, are we?

"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ," Philippians 3:20

I am a citizen of heaven! I am a child of heaven and a precious daughter of God. And God can do anything. He can do immeasurably more than even I can imagine- and I can imagine pretty big. So when these thoughts creep into my mind-these thoughts of inadequacy, of not deserving, and of having the wrong attitude, I just need to go back to the very beginning and go back to God. Instead of talking myself out of the incredible blessings that are just waiting to be showered on me, I need to talk to God and see what HE has to say about the matter.

When all is said and done- when the time comes, and our prayers are answered, and our dreams are realized, you know what's going to happen? We are going to be able to give all the glory to God. Someone won't be able to look at us and say "good for you, you've worked hard to get where you are", because we'll have not done it. Instead, someone will look at us, see where we are and how we've been blessed, and the only answer will be God. We will be a walking, living, breathing testimony to the glory and goodness of God, and we can't wait to share that.