Consider This: At Least Ask

When John and Francis Canning were planning their 2012 wedding at Manchester Town Hall, they realized that Queen Elizabeth II was scheduled to be in the building for some official meeting at the same time. Just for fun, as they mailed out their invitations, they sent one to the Queen.

A few weeks later, they received a response from Buckingham Palace indicating that, while the Queen was happy for them and wished them well, she would not be able to attend. Surprised that they had received any response at all, John and Francis continued to look forward to their special day and never gave the queen another thought.

That is, until they were standing in their receiving line after the wedding, looked up, and saw the Queen and Prince Philip heading their way. Without announcement, they entered the room, greeted the newlyweds, addressed them by name, chatted a little, and even posed for pictures. The couple were dumbfounded. It remains one of their most cherished memories of the day.

You never know what might happen if you ask.

Jesus said, “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). James adds, “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2).

What if we are missing blessings that we could have simply because we have not asked for them? What if God is waiting for us to acknowledge that he is the source of all the good things in our lives? What if he has all sorts of gifts stored up for us, but instead of asking, we have struggled along on our own?

Now, I can hear someone saying, “You do not get everything you ask for. God is not like a vending machine that gives you whatever you want”, and that may be true. God can answer any way he wants, but may it never be that we miss out because we did not ask.

You do not always get what you expect. However, if you ask, sometimes you get much more.

Just ask John and Francis Canning.

“God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

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