228. God will Give
2 Chronicles 1:7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
God did not appear to us in a dream of the night upon assuming the throne, but He did give us the same promise, assurance, and encouragement. We have been promised several times in the Word of God, “Ask what I shall give thee.” God commands us to pray and he promises to hear our prayers. This is a command and a promise for us: “Ask” is the command; “I shall give” is the promise. The NT says about the OT: “These things are written for our learning, that by patience and comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope.” We learn from the Scriptures that we have a good and gracious God. We learn that we may come to God as dear children come to their dear father. Our Lord is always there, and He is always listening. His arms are open and welcoming, waiting to embrace us, to give His love, and to hear our prayers.
It is obedience to God and His Word; it is fear, love, and trust in God above things; and it is exercising our faith to pray the prayers He tells us to pray. So we pray the essence and meaning of the Lord’s Prayer, just as Jesus taught us to pray. It is our privilege to “carry everything to God in prayer.” Our response to God’s promise to give is to know God and His Word so well that we ask “in Jesus’ name,” We learn to know the Lord better and better, we learn His will and ask according to it; and when we are in the Word the Holy Spirit moves us to pray what He wants, and when we don’t know God’s specific will in a matter clearly because of sin and ignorance the Spirit turns our sighs and groaniings into articulate prayer before the throne.
Because of God’s command and promise, and because of our need and helplessness, we are motivated to pray without ceasing. Then the Lord grants not only what we ask for but also even more that we ask or think. Solomon was wise enough to ask for wisdom. God was pleased with that request, and then granted him riches and fame and strength that he did not even ask for. God promises to bless a life of prayer, trust, and obedience with spiritual treasure beyond measure.