FAITH CAPSULE: Do you know to ask or you only know about asking?

1 Samuel 1

When blind man Bartimaeus received information that Jesus was passing, he knew to cry out for his need. It is written, “And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”(Luke 18:38-39) Blind man does not only know what he wanted, but he knew to ask. To know to ask is different from to know about asking. Bartimaeus made a move to ask for mercy with assumption that Jesus knew his problem. Jesus knows our problem but He wants us to know to ask for what we want. Do you know to ask or do you only know about asking? Jesus wants us to know and ask. It is written, “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9) Without doubt, Jesus knows our need but engaging Him by asking is a demonstration of faith.  After Bartimaeus’ noise making of asking for mercy, Jesus decided to remind him to ask, “Saying, what do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” (Luke 18:41) When are you going to start asking rather than making noise?
Hannah could have died barren, until she asked for a son from God instead of being quiet under the comfort of her husband. Elkanah was giving preferential treatment to make Hannah comfortable with her barren situation. However, at one miracle trip she received her breakthrough when Peninnah, the second wife of her husband provoked her. The bible recorded Hannah’s response to Peninnah provocation, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.  Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.” (1Samuel 1:10-11) Hannah’s bitterness of heart provoked her to ask for what she wanted. All the while, Hannah was going to Shiloh with nothing to show off until she knew to ask and her story was rewritten from barren woman to mother of Samuel. Evidently, Hannah testified that she asked for Samuel from the Lord, “…Because I have asked for him from the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:20)
Do you know to ask or you only know about asking?
Bartimaeus asked, Hannah asked, and now it is your turn to ask.

Prayer for today: As you pray, ask God for your need, also ask to be surrounded with songs of deliverance.