By Cordell and Janice Vail

14 Sep 2003

Why do we need to ASK?

From time to time I think that we all learn things that we already knew and then say, "WOW! That is profound. Surely I must have through of that before but WOW!!!! Here it is again in a new light." I am sure every one of us have had one of those experiences? I had one of those experiences last Sunday.

I went to Elders Quorum with a non-member so he would not be sitting alone with strangers. The lesson was on prayer. There was a lot of the typical discussion about prayer. A part of that discussion lead to the always asked question "Why do we have to ask when God already knows what we need"? I have asked that question myself many times in the past. I assume you have too.

As we carried on the discussion I realized that most of the men in the room are fathers of very small children. Several made comments like, "When a baby needed a drink we give it to them without them having to ask:", "I buy insurance for my child because I know he needs it for college later with out him having to ask", "If my baby has a dirty diaper I just change it, se doesn't have to ask".... etc etc.

Then all of the sudden this stoke of though came into my mind that I had really never thought about before in that way..... or at least I don't remember this specific thought. I started to think about my own kids who are all over 20 now. I thought of some of my nieces and nephews who are living all over the country now. I thought about several of my friends. In each case I thought about something that I am absolutely certain that if I "GAVE IT TO THEM" or "TOLD THEM TO DO IT", that it would make their life better. So then I asked myself, why don't I just go tell them or do it FOR THEM? Then the profound thought came.... BECAUSE THEY MAY NOT WANT IT!!!!!

When we become adults we change. We are not like a baby any more. We have free agency and we don't have to do something just because someone else tells us to. Free Agency is one of the greatest gifts we have in this life. So when I have a child who is an adult and I want to "PLAY GOD" and just give something to them because they need it I may find that they may not want it. They may have other ideas. They may not take it just because I am trying to force it on them.... Get the point?

So God knows every person should be a member of this church. It would be a great blessing to them. THEY NEED IT!!!!! So why doesn't he just MAKE THEM... or DO IT FOR THEM? Why do we have to ask? Why does he make us ask before we receive? That is such a profound lesson to me. He has to try to entice us to want to and then to ASK. If we are not willing to ask, if we are too proud to take it, if we are too rebellious to have it even when we need it, if we refuse to change even when He warns us... God is bound. Because of our free agency HE CAN NOT.

He said to us, Knock and it shall be opened unto you.... ask and ye shall receive. But if we don't knock, if we don't ask... God is bound by the laws of free agency and he can not give it to us even if He knows we need it.

I love this scripture but look what is right in the middle of it:

D&C 11:21 Seek not to declare my word, but first seek to obtain my word, and then shall your tongue be loosed; then, if you desire, you shall have my Spirit and my word, yea, the power of God unto the convincing of men.

Life's little lessons come in such subtle ways some times. To me this was such a profound lesson to hear whispered in my mind as I sat there in Elders Quorum meeting.

NOTE: Nothing in any of these Sunday Sermons is intended to represent the official doctrines of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are strictly instructions and teachings from Cordell and Janice Vail to their family.