The golfer Arnold Palmer once played a series of exhibition matches in Saudi Arabia.  The king was so impressed that he proposed to give Palmer a gift.  Palmer demurred: "it really isn't necessary, Your Highness.  I'm honored to have been invited."

"I would be deeply upset," replied the king, "if you would not allow me to give you a gift."

Palmer thought for a moment and said: "All right.  How about a golf club?  That would be a beautiful memento of my visit to your country."

The next day, delivered to Palmer's hotel was the title to a golf club.  Thousands of acres, trees, lakes, clubhouse and so forth...  The moral of the story is: In the presence of a king, don't ask for small gifts!*

Let's be honest here. What was the last time you boldly asked for a big gift from the King of Kings?  I'm asking him for the nation of Swaziland. I'm asking him for a million orphans and one hundred thousand trained leaders.  Ridiculous, audacious things to ask for, but not in the presence of a king.  Whatever you ask for, if He's in it, it's yours.

Let us know what great gift you're asking God for and many of us in this blog community will stand in agreement with you as you ask.

*From Brennan Manning book The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus