Three little letters.
 
One profound word.
 
This simple little word, in the proper context, has the power to change your life. To change your eternal destiny, if directed correctly. To give you your heart’s desire. In fact, not using this word virtually guarantees you a dismal, bleak existence in this life, and eternal torment in the next.
 
This simple verb is one of the first actions you are taught as a child, yet so many people fail to grasp the immense power in it’s implementation. We do it habitually, many times without thinking, yet for the most crucial decisions in our life, we sometimes simply forget to do it. Non-believers can never be saved without doing it, while Christians needlessly flounder in their daily walk for neglecting to do this exceedingly elementary task. In fact, the word rhymes with task.
 
ASK
 
Yes, ask. How can this be, you ask. (I couldn’t resist.) Consider the following:
Usually nothing occurs until a question is asked first. “May I have a cup of water, Mommy?” “May I borrow the car, Dad?” “Could I have this job?” “Will you go out with me, Wendy?” “Will you marry me, Wendy?” “Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.” With me so far?

??????
 
For something positive to happen in your life, you must first ask, then await the answer. If you never ask the question, you’ll most likely never get the answer, and never get your heart’s desire. It takes courage to ask some of life’s big questions, for there’s always the possibility of receiving a negative response. Here’s where fear raises it’s ugly head. Fear of rejection. Fear of ridicule. Fear of the realization that this precious thing you’ve hoped and dreamed of will never come to pass. You know where that fear comes from. (For those of you who don’t, I refer you to my previous column, “The Voice.”)
 
When I was a child, I was terribly intimidated by my father, the prototypical strong, silent type. I could never figure out what he was thinking, or when it was safe to approach him. In my fearful state, I would inevitably avoid asking even the simplest of questions unless he was in a rare, talkative mood. My fear wasn’t about making him mad, or fear of any physical retaliation. It was simply fear of rejection. I didn’t want to face the prospect of my father telling me “No.” Consequently, I missed out on many opportunities to spend quality time with my Dad, and now that I’m grown and a father myself, I’ve resolved to encourage my sons to ask me anything, anytime, and I’ll make the time to answer their questions. I wish my father was still alive so I could do the same with him… All because of fear.
 
It is that fear that causes us to not ask the tough questions, but instead to assume. (We all know what happens when we “assume” something, don’t we?) By my silence, I’m sure my Dad thought I was content, while all that time I was yearning for a deeper, closer relationship with him. In relationships, sometimes we assume our partner will magically know what we need. When your partner inevitably fails to read your mind, you wind up disappointed, hurt, or angry. All because you assumed they knew you well enough to perceive your unspoken hints.
 
As Christians, we often assume that since God is omniscient (all-knowing), that He knows the desires of our heart, so asking Him to fulfill those desires isn’t necessary. Au contraire. God’s Word is replete with exhortations to ask, ask, ask. Let’s take a look at some examples: