Thursday, July 30, 2015

In our last visit we considered the promise that God delights in answering our prayers, and encourages us to be persistent in keeping on asking, seeking and knocking. It’s almost as though there is a progression here: asking, then seeking a more intimate connection with God until you sense the door you have been knocking on opens into God’s intimate presence. That is what it means to delight yourself in the Lord. And if that is the motivating dynamic in your prayer life your desires, that which you are asking for in prayer, will be consistent with your relationship with God. To illustrate this Jesus continues in His sermon in Matthew 7:9-11, “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he ask for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” Jesus is again using hyperbole here to make His point. Human fathers will generally do their best to grant legitimate requests of their children. They will not make a point to frustrate or hurt their children by giving them something absurd. If human fathers, who because of sin will never be able to do all they would like to for their children, how much more will our merciful, loving, all powerful and wise heavenly Father do for those who seek Him and ask for His blessing upon their lives. Then, as God graciously responds to you in this way, make sure you reach out by being the hands and feet and voice God can use to touch those around you.