James 4:2-3: You lust and do not have. You kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasure.
See the self centred efforts of many today that is futile in the face of making meaningful progress. See how many get stranded on that wilderness of the solitude island- governed entirely by self, unconnected to the riches of Grace, distant and far removed from the help of the Holy Spirit.
It is true that the will of man does take him far. But always not far enough! For now, we still struggle and war to subdue our world and reign over money and attain the fullness of the knowledge hidden in creation…yet we have not attained. Yet we have not comprehended, partly because we fail to lean in and listen to Him…we fail to ask of Infinite Wisdom and Boundless Love.
Let us have this remind ourselves always that we have His attention whose arm created the world and designed its intricate complexities. We have access to the presence of Him in whom is hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge…and so let us ask of Him. In everything…not moved by our narrow selfish desires…not driven by our lusts!
And see also how many of us ask amiss when we do ask. Instead of asking Him of the strategy we should use to subdue money and rule over it, we spend much time begging Him that we should be the recipient of crumbs from someone else’s hand. Instead of asking Him how close we are to hastening the parousia, we prattle much about our seeming littleness in His plans and seem to be consumed much more by the basic need for food, housing, raiment and socioeconomic advancement. These things are good but they ought not be the entire focus about which our prayer revolves.
See indeed how much we ask amiss! We forget the higher purposes of our calling and neglect to feast much in the Light of His Word in His presence….O let us cease asking amiss!
Selah
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