Why Don’t You Ask God for Big Things? | The Gospels | Luke 18:35–43

[music] Welcome to 10 Minute Bible Talks. Where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Patrick Miller. What keeps you from asking God for big things? Not just in private, but with friends, with family. Maybe it's fear. You fear that He won't give you what you ask, and it might undermine your faith. Or maybe you fear looking silly. Or maybe you fear looking proud. Like you're asking for too much. Or maybe you fear looking weak or looking needy and incompetent. Why ask God for what I can do on my own? Now I want you to ask a different question. How do you think God feels when you don't ask Him for big things? I had this funny moment not too long ago. My daughter has several friends whose dads take them on a 10-year-old birthday trip to some pretty cool places. Now I thought this was an amazing tradition, but I'm a pastor. I don't make enough to have the kind of life-seryl where I can afford to do the kinds of things that all my friends can go do. So of course with my daughter when I tell her, "Hey, we're going to do a 10-year-old trip." She has no idea that I can't do the same things that all of our friends do. So what does she do? Well, she asks. She's nine this year, and she came up to me full of joy and asked, "Could we go to Harry Potter World for our 10th birthday?" So I can tell you what didn't go through my head. I didn't think, "You know, how could you be so silly to ask for something so big?" I didn't think, "Why are you so incompetent and weak that you can't afford to go and pay for that trip on your own?" I didn't think, "Why are you so needy?" You know what I thought? "I'm so happy you asked me because you're my daughter, and I delight in you, and I would love nothing more than to give you what you want." Of course there's plenty of things she asks for that I don't give her. A smart phone would be the first thing on the list. I know it would be terrible for her development, her education, her soul, so I tell her know again and again and again. But even then, I'm delighted that she asks. I'm delighted that she needs me. She relies on me. She trusts me. That she isn't afraid or embarrassed to ask me for things. And I have to think. Doesn't God feel the same way? It sure seems like he does in today's passage. Let's pick up in Luke 1835. As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." He called out, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me." "Those who led the way, rebuked him. It's all to be quiet." But he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me." So let's pause here, because this is usually where we stop in our conversation with God. When we have needs or wants or big things to bring to God, we stop because we're afraid of the people rebuking us or telling us that we're being silly or you shouldn't ask for something like that. Even if they're not even saying it, it's their voices in our heads. They make us think that God's too busy or that honestly God can't even do it. But I think this blind man, he's desperate. I mean, he wants to see. And in his desperation, he becomes a model for all of us to emulate. God wants us to ask. God wants us to cry out for big things. God wants us to pray, not just in private, but out loud in public for every once a year. Why? Well, let's keep reading. Verse 40, "Jesus stopped and ordered the man be brought to him." So the first reason that God wants us to ask is because God wants us to stop him. He wants us to interrupt him. He loves all the distractions and requests that we bring before him. Everybody else says he's too busy that he doesn't have time for you. But he isn't too busy to slow down. He delights to shorten his stride, bend down, and just be with us. So do you ask God for big things? Do you interrupt him with your neediness? If you do, you delight him just as my daughter delights me. If you don't, don't panic. Don't feel ashamed. Just stop and cry out to him for help. For help in your fight against your addictions. For help to be healed from your afflictions. For help to provide for your needs. For help to mend a broken relationship. For help to find a new job. For help to find a deep friendship. For help in whatever you need. God wants you to ask because he loves to be interrupted by you. But that's not the only reason. Let's keep digging in. Verse 40. When he came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord, I want to see," he replied. Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight. Your faith has healed you." The second reason God wants you to ask for big things is because he always answers. Sometimes he says yes as he does to this blind man. But sometimes he says no. But whatever he says, he answers and he answers for your good. You'll never be confident that God is acting in your life unless you ask. Unless you see him say yes or say no. You can't see him say yes or say no if you never even asked the question to begin with. But this story isn't done yet. There's a third reason God wants you to ask for big things. Let's continue in verse 43. Immediately, he received his sight and followed Jesus praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God. If we don't ask God to do big things in public, then God never receives the praise. It's only because the blind man cried out and stopped Jesus' entire entourage in public that everybody in public sees what Jesus does. He gives him his sight and what do they do? They praise God. In 2013, a school bookkeeper named Antoinette Tuft had her life turned upside down. A 20-year-old man entered the school with an assault rifle and 500 rounds of ammunition. He took the front office hostage. Everything that happened next was in public because she was on the phone with a 9-1 dispatcher and the school's intercom system was broadcasting everything that happened inside of her office. Antoinette Tuft bravely stepped forward and began to pray out loud. Before the gunman, the school and the 9-1-1 dispatcher, she asked God to handle the situation, "Keep everyone safe and rescue the gunman." Then she shared her own personal struggles with the gunman, and she told him that no matter what, even he can be completely loved by God, and the gunman broke down in tears. He laid down his weapons. He didn't kill a soul and he gave himself up peacefully. She dared to ask for something big in public at risk to her own life, and God provided. So God gets the praises. He kept her safe. He kept the school safe. He even rescued that gunman's soul. He gets the praises. Don't let fear keep you from asking God for big things. He's not a stingy, judgmental father. He's a good father who delights to be interrupted, and delights to answer your prayers.