If We Ask

Have you ever felt you were treated unfairly? Sometimes we will not receive an answer until we reach God’s kingdom. However, I am encouraged by situations that have a good, grace-filled ending. My friend had an interesting experience.

He relayed, “I was not speeding. I know that area is forty-five miles an hour. It must have picked up the car behind me.” He had just received a ticket in the mail from a speed photo camera. It had the date of the incident and asked, “How do you plead?” Certain he was innocent, he sent the letter back marked not guilty. Soon after, he received a letter that he would need to appear in court to discuss the situation. Another friend and I started to pray for him periodically. That was just before the COVID-19 pandemic started.

He received a second letter that informed him the hearing had been postponed.

Eighteen months went by before my friend received a third letter with a new court date and instructions for a Zoom video conference call with a judge. I prayed again.

When the day arrived, the officer did not show up, and all ten people who were on the screen were forgiven, and the cases against them were dismissed.

The judge read the names of four people who had not shown up and said, “They will have to pay the full amount.” What a grace-filled example! If you show up and ask for favor, you will receive it and be marked innocent. If you do not show up, you do not receive grace.

My friend did not expect to be forgiven, and it was a huge relief! In life, we sometimes wait a long time before we receive grace.

People do not always want to give us grace, but my friend’s story is a great reminder that God extends grace to anyone who asks for it.

Here are two good examples from Scripture: “We are sure that if we ask anything that He wants us to have, He will hear us. If we are sure He hears us when we ask, we can be sure He will give us what we ask for” (1 John 5:14, 15, NLV).

And this one, “I will thank the LORD because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High” (Psalm 7:17, NLT).

I am thankful for a God who is a perfectly fair judge.

He will declare us innocent because we ask for grace.

Diane Pestes