To ask is a spiritual principal.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7
“You do not have because you do not ask God.” James 4:2
Somehow Asking Big became a sin, and Living Small became a virtue.
We were born to ask unashamed. To receive abundantly. Have our desires fulfilled by God beyond our imaginations.
Why did we stop asking?
If we realized that God always wants to give, and people love to help, we would ask more.
The Day I asked Big
I had a plane to catch early in the morning, yet forgot to set the alarm the night before, consequently waking up an hour before the flight. As the airport was only 20 minutes away, technically I reasoned I could still catch it.
As I did not have time to park, I persuaded a friend to drive me and promised to pay his speeding ticket should he get one.
“Lisa,” he said logically, ”there’s no way. You have to get through security and to the gate before boarding. There’s just no way!”
“Can we just try?” I asked as there was something inside me that didn’t want to give up before I gave it my best shot.
So I asked big, “God I need you to help me. Can you get me on that plane? For you nothing is impossible. Please?”
My friend picked me up on the curb and off we went, whizzing down the freeway, only to pass a motorcycle cop.
“Dan,” I apologetically announced, now feeling really bad that I brought him into my debacle. “We just passed a cop. We better pull over.”
Looking in the rear view mirror, waiting for the siren, there was nothing. Nothing. “I guess he didn’t see us? That’s impossible, we drove right past him! Okay then, let’s just keep going!”
“God was that you?” I questioned. How did I not just get pulled over?
Once arriving at the airport, I thanked my friend for driving and mostly for half hearted believing that I could pull it off.
"Good luck,” he parted, as I ran off to security.
“Excuse me,” I humbled asked, “can I get in front of you, my plane leaves in 25 minutes?”
“Of course, go ahead,” they responded until shortly the entire line joined my dilemma letting me pass through.
"Okay, now I just have to get to the gate before boarding ends,"
As I passed a flight attendant running toward the plane, she regrettably informed me, “Honey, they already closed the doors, you missed it!”
“No I didn’t.
If the plane is still here, I didn’t miss it.
If I got here before the hour,
did not get a speeding ticket, passed through security,
I am going to make that plane!
Gasping for air, I approached the boarding counter.
“Hi, can I get on,” I asked, pleaded and begged.
“No,” the flight attendant stated, “The door is closed, and we cannot let you board.”
“Yes, but the plane is still on the runway! Can I board!”
“No, once the door is closed, we cannot open it,” she adamantly stated again.
“Yes, I know, but can you just ask!”
“As I said before, it is closed,” again she repeated.
“Yes, I know, but can you just ask!”
The repetitive dialogue went on for 5 minutes, until finally exasperated she picked up the intercom to the pilot and asked.
Shaking her head, she continued conversing with the pilot, until she made a second call to the ground personnel.
“Can you bring up the ladder. (pause.. as she listened to their response) I know (pause again shaking her head) Pilot gave permission. (pause) I know. (pause)
“They are bringing up the ladder. The plane is delayed on the runway. The pilot is breaking protocol but said “yes,” she stoically related being surprised herself.
“Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!” I hugged her, and ran to the runway as I literally witnessed the ground crew bring back the ladder. Climbing up, now even I was shaking my head in utter amazement. How in the world did I actually make this flight?!
Exhilarated, I walked down the aisle to my seat, and then turned around toward the cockpit as it was still open.
“Excuse me,” I graciously asked the pilot, “why did you let me on?”
“Because you asked. In my entire career, I have never had someone ask that before. I don't know why, but such a big ask deserved a yes," he said smiling at me fully recognizing the gift he just gave.
Sitting in my seat, I was still dumbfounded. I actually made it! I actually did.
All because I just asked.
Lisa Hamilton/ The Hamilton Post