Thought for the Day – November 1, 2009
Text: Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! NKJV
Remember playing hide and seek as a child? There are two parts of the game: the challenge of hiding not to be found and seeking those hidden. Do you remember the adrenaline rush of finding the one hidden? Well, at least, I thought it was great!
Jesus invites us into a process of seeking Him. First, we must ask. James tells us we have not because we do ask not. What keeps us from asking? Usually, pride and stubbornness. We want to do things ourselves. Most of us hate to ask for anything. Asking can be perceived as a sign of weakness. So, we try and work things out by ourselves. We have the God of the universe waiting for us to ask, yet we struggle and toil. He is waiting o give us good gifts; strength, courage, faith, perseverance, discipline, patience, joy, grace, and much more.
Our Father desires more than a casual ask, He desires us to seek Him. He promised, if we seek Him, He can be found. I am a man. When I cannot find something, I ask Sharlyne. She can immediately find it for me. Why seek when Sharlyne can find, right? She tells me I seek like a man, that is why I never find anything. God desires seeking with true effort and passion, like seeking for a lost coin or pearl of great price. Finally, God welcomes us to not just knock, but pound on His door. You know, that kind of annoying knock that makes you jump up to quickly stop the pounding.
Thought for the Day – What are you asking, seeking, and knocking on God’s for?
