One of my children is particularly “gifted” in asking for things from me.  He will often ask me for something and when my initial answer is “no”, he proceeds to explain and persist, using all his reasoning and persuasive skills to try to change my mind.

Most of the time, my answer remains the same. But there are times when he makes a really good case as to why I should change my mind.  On those occasions when he is successful, I can see that he has really thought it out and presented some facts to me that I didn’t think of before.

My interactions with him reminds me of a story I read recently about the daughters of Zelophehad.  

In Numbers 27, we read about a man named Zelophehad who was part of the generation that wandered in the wilderness for 40 years and died without entering the Promised Land. Zelophehad had 5 daughters and no sons.

As the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised Land, the daughters of Zelophehad realized that their family would not be given an inheritance of land because their father had no sons.

Instead of accepting that this was their fate, they appealed to Moses, Eleazar, the priest, and the leaders of Israel.  “Why should our father’s name disappear from his clan because he had no son?  Give us property among our father’s relatives.” (Number 27:4)

When Moses brought their case before the Lord, the Lord’s reply was “What they are saying is right.  You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father’s relatives and give their father’s inheritance to them.” (Numbers 27:7)

And guess what?  From that point on, if a man died without a son, it was a law that his daughter would receive her father’s inheritance.  So just like that, daughters and future daughters in Israel were given an inheritance because the daughters of Zelophehad asked.

How many things have I not received because I didn’t ask?  The scripture says in James 4:2 “…You do not have, because you do not ask.”  This doesn’t mean that just because we ask, we will receive everything we want.  But it certainly does encourage us to ask.  

I know that inheriting the promises that God requires something on my part.  Faith, petition, prayer, and work.  The request of the daughters of Zelophehad changed things forever for future generations. I pray that whatever I ask for would also be bold and impactful for generations to come.

~ Vijoy