Those who have know me well know that there are times when I find God-moments in weird places. I’ve illustrated sermons with Simpson clips, clips from Brian Regan’s comedy, and once with one of the final scenes from Steve Martin’s The Jerk. I don’t always endorse the vehicle, but God has a way of showing up in places some might not expect.

I just finished watching last night’s episode of My Name Is Earl. Earl is a dark comedy, but I like Earl’s life philosophy: “Do good things and good things happen, do bad things, they come back to haunt you.” He calls it Karma - not a Christian doctrine. But its not that far from the Golden Rule, “Here is a simple, rule-of-thumb guide for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them. Add up God’s Law and Prophets and this is what you get” (Jesus in Matthew 7:12, Msg).

Enough trying to justify programming the DVR to series-record Earl.

Last night, Earl was in a coma and here is what happened in one scene:

Earl (voiceover): Randy wasn’t a religious man, other than believing in the Great Pumpkin, but these were desperate times.

Randy (praying): Dear Lord, it’s me Randy Hickey.
Please tell me what to do to save my brother. Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
But Lord…
I’m sorry. I’ll let you finish.
Oh yeah. Perfect.

Randy (to Earl): I know what to do to help you. I’ll be right back.

Randy (looking up in prayer): Why didn’t you tell me this before? You’re right. I shoulda asked.

What a great truth in such a ridiculous place. How often I have wondered why God is not acting in a situation in my life, and the simple truth is that I’ve never asked. Or if I have asked, I haven’t surrendered control long enough for God to really do anything about it.

If I knew Randy Hickey and asked him why God wasn’t answering my needs, he would tell me I shoulda asked. The Bible says it this way, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Jesus, Matthew 7:7-8, NIV).

Ask. Seek. Knock. God doesn’t barge into our lives. But he always responds to an invitation.