11.02.10

something I've been chewing on out of a book I'm reading...

"I think the fear of God failing us leads us to 'cover for God.' This means we ask less, expect less, and are satisfied with less because we are afraid to ask for or expect more. We even convince ourselves that we don't want more---that we have all the 'God' we need or could want. I can't imagine how much it pains God to see His children hold back from relationship with the Holy Spirit out of fear that He won't come through. How much it grieves him to watch His children ignore the promises He's mad throughout Scriptures due to fear that those promises won't be kept! Empowering His children with the strength of the Holy Spirit is something the Father wants to do. It's not something we have to talk Him into. he genuinely wants to see us walk in His strength.
When Jesus was on earth, He said to His disciples, 'If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!' (Luke 11:13). God is a good Father who wants to give good gifts to His children. Sometimes I forget this truth and beg as though He needs convincing. It's as ridiculous as if my kids thought they needed to beg me to hug them. It delights my heart to hug them.
Do you believe that God in heave gives His Spirit to those who ask? Do you really believe it? This truth and what it means is so incredible that no one who actually believes it could then fail to ask for the Holy Spirit."

~Forgotten God~Francis Chan