More Than Asked For - Martin Wiles

If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Luke 6:38 NLT

I asked for a burger but received much more.

On one day, my wife and I stopped by a local burger joint to pick up our supper. The only thing special about our order is that our daughter’s BLT wasn’t supposed to have mayonnaise.

 

But as I enjoyed my burger, I noticed something protruding that was different in color than the green shredded lettuce. I pulled it out and discovered a piece of aluminum foil. Not one to be grossed out by such things, I kept eating. Later, as our daughter sat down to eat her BLT, she remarked, “There is mayonnaise on my sandwich. I didn’t ask for that.”

 

With a typical sarcastic quip, I remarked, “That’s okay. I got more than I asked for as well.”

 

Jesus always gives more than we ask for, …but sometimes stipulations follow. Regardless, the verse reminds me that God’s resources are unlimited. We can’t outgive God. Whatever we give, he can seize it, press it, mold it, shake it—and do whatever else He does—and produce more than we can imagine.

 

Our lack of faith is the only limitation to what God can do. His actions connect to our actions. If we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains. Since none of us ever moved a mountain, what we might consider as large faith is small in God’s sight.

 

Since God is more than willing to transform what we give, our paucity must be the result of several possibilities. Sometimes God doesn’t give because we don’t ask, because we ask with the wrong motives, or because we doubt God will give us what we ask for.

 

Despite our failures when it comes to giving or asking from God, he often overlooks our lack of faith or our weak faith and gives us more than we request—just as the burger joint gave me aluminum foil when I only asked for lettuce. That’s because God is a good, loving, and kind heavenly Father. Parents often give children things they don’t deserve, and God does the same. Whatever he gives will be for our good and his glory.

Praise God regularly for giving you more than you asked for.

Father, I thank you for your many gifts—none of which I deserve.

I invite you to try my book Grits, Grace, and Grands. If you have grands, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Chicken Nugget Results - Abigail Griffin

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6 KJV

Think about the last time you ordered fast food. Then, think back to the last time you went to a nicer, sit-down restaurant for an occasion that was a little more special.

Whenever we make our way to our chosen restaurant, we usually have already decided how long we’ll have to wait for our food to be prepped. It almost seems unnatural to order a steak, two sides, and a salad and then expect the order to arrive fully prepared and sitting on the table within five minutes. However, the five-minute mindset doesn’t seem so outlandish whenever we’re in line waiting for our chicken nuggets on the go.

Sometimes, when we pray, we get immediate “chicken-nugget” results, but other times, God has something greater that He’s preparing. Both chicken nugget and steak requests have their own place and are valued by God.

God wants to hear our steak prayer requests just as much as He wants to hear the chicken nugget ones. Paul reminds us that it can be easy to pray those mountain-moving prayers. Typically, we have no problem putting in our steak orders to God. He can do the unthinkable and answer our request—sometimes within the moment that prayer was brought before His throne. 

However, after putting in our steak order and telling God how we would like it all done, it would be unreasonable to expect chicken nugget results. God’s answers are never rare but are always well done, and only His timing will satisfy our needs.

Don't expect chicken-nugget answers when God has a steak answer in the waiting. 

 

A college senior, Abigail Griffin is a Christian writer passionate about spreading the good news of Jesus Christ through the power of words. She studies Professional Writing and English and desires to continue infusing a biblical worldview into her writing.

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.