A Model For Asking

A Model for Asking

[Jesus said,] “You haven’t done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.” John 16:24

JAMES O. FRASER, MISSIONARY TO THE LISU OF CHINA in the early twentieth century, developed much of his prayer life from a fascinating contemporary illustration. At the time, the Canadian government offered incentives for British citizens to emigrate to Canada and claim territory in the west. Plenty of territory was waiting to be cultivated; all that was needed were people who would boldly come, accept the conditions of the government, claim as much land as they could reasonably cultivate, commit to care for the land, and then be faithful to work it. It was an open invitation to spread out and steward resources for the benefit of the realm.

That’s a lot like prayer. We have an open invitation from God to ask and receive—to claim territory for his Kingdom. But sometimes there are conditions, especially when we are praying for fruitful Kingdom lives. We ask specifically, we commit to steward the gift faithfully, we enter into what we’ve been promised, and then we cultivate what we’ve been given. We receive it as a gift of grace, but we also participate in the process and continue to partner with God in managing it, just as in the original commission to humanity (Genesis 1:26-28). It’s how God has chosen to expand his Kingdom and entrust it in the hands of those who represent him well.

That’s what we really want, isn’t it? We search for purpose and meaning, and we want our work to last. Some people may end up passing their days frivolously, but nearly every human being has longed for lasting fruit, for a life that matters in the long run, for truth and love to operate effectively in us. Jesus promises that to his followers, and he urges us to pray toward that end. So pray with that kind of definition and commitment. Understand the terms of God’s promises—that his gifts are free, but once given must be handled with care. Develop a vision for the territory of your calling and ask God for it. Then take definite steps, by faith, to enter in.

The crowning wonder of [God’s] scheme is that he entrusted it to men.