“Dahil ba sa wala siyang anak na lalaki ay buburahin na ninyo siya sa listahan ng Israel? Bigyan ninyo kami ng kaparteng lupa tulad ng mga kamag-anak ng aming ama.”

Mga Bilang 27:4

For her staycation, Mary wanted to have a room with a view of Manila Bay, pero hindi kaya ng kanyang budget ang nasabing kuwarto. She booked online for a room with a lower rate but thought of asking for an upgrade pagdating niya sa hotel. Baka may bakanteng room with a bay view, naisip niya, at dahil hindi naman peak season, i-upgrade na lang nila ang booking ko. True enough, the front desk clerk gave her a complimentary upgrade.

Kagaya ka ba ni Mary na optimistic, open sa possibilities, at hindi nahihiyang mag-request? Or are you close-minded, takot umasa, at hindi nagta-try? We often hear the verse, “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, NIV). Pero sino sa atin ang nag-a-avail ng special offer na ito?

Many characters in the Bible dared to ask. During Moses’ time, the property of a parent is passed on to his sons, not to his daughters. But Zelophehad died without a son, kaya naglakas-loob ang lima niyang anak na babae na i-request kay Moses na sa kanila ipamana ang lupa. Request granted ba? Read Numbers 27:1–11 to find out. How about Elijah? Habang nasa gitna ng drought ang buong Israel, nakiusap ang propeta na bigyan siya ng maiinom na tubig, of all people, ng isang widow! Then, nag-upgrade siya ng order: pakidagdagan na rin ng tinapay! (1 Kings 17:7–11)

Nowhere does the Bible teach us to ask recklessly for selfish reasons. But it does encourage us to know our rights as children of God and to be aware of the things that God wants us to ask from Him. If we are in Christ, we become God’s children, and it is His responsibility to protect, guide, and provide for us (John 1:12; Isaiah 46:4; 1 Peter 5:7). Asking God for an upgrade stems from our awareness that we are cared for by a loving God.