The Fellowship Conference: Ask!

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"A friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him...Ask and it will be given to you...Your heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him." Luke 11:5-13 (emphasis mine)

We're getting closer to the Fellowship Conference, and this text won't leave me alone. I think I know why.

Subtle temptations abound in conferences like this.

• There's the temptation to trust in organization. Surely after all the fuss of getting this many people in one spot God will bless the time. I know some of the behind-the-scenes stuff, and this is no small undertaking. Surely God will manifest Himself out of sheer pity!
• There's also the temptation to trust giftedness. Surely the quality of men speaking makes failure impossible. Has God not powerfully used many of these men in times past?
• There's also the temptation to trust others. Surely the organizers are putting in plenty of prayer to cover the rest of us.

In short, the temptation is to coast into the time as though God's presence will be an automatic. But conference after conference has proven this simply isn't the case. Man can build an altar, but only God can give the fire (1 Kings 18:30, 36-38).

What is the answer? Our text is clear: We must ask. All of the organization and giftedness combined can't make a single morsel of bread for our journeying friends. But the weakest saint who refuses to give God rest has strong footing in Luke 11. God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. How that will look is God's prerogative. Sometimes it's like a violent wind (Acts 2:2). Other times it's like a gentle blowing (1 Kings 19:12-13). But He will come. So we must be about the business of asking.

God may call some to devote a little time each day to the cause. God may call others to fast a time or two in the next few weeks. However God leads each one, let's give Him our best in prayer with great hope that heavenly bread will be present in abundance (John 6:13-14).