June 1, 2014 Really?

Really?

Matthew 7:7-9 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  

I don’t like this scripture. “But,” you say, “it is a great promise from Jesus that he will answer our prayers. He will open the door of blessing and truth if we but knock. We will find him if we seek him.” Actually, that’s the problem. I can’t stand it when Jesus offers all of himself so easily to me.

     By now, you may think I’m denying my faith or even worse denying Jesus’ promise. But my point is to point out that we are unwilling to believe and trust Jesus. At least that’s the way most of us act. We seem to often pray with the expectation that Jesus will deny our prayers. We dare not seek him in our sin and misery because we actually might fine him—and then what? Do we have to listen to his words of blessing and take steps out of our broken lives? We like to be where we are. We don’t want to hear, “Repent and believe.”

     Sadly it’s true that in our weak humanity asking, knocking and seeking is more than most of the world wants to do. That’s why the pews are empty on Sunday. That’s why people don’t return my calls when I want to help them. That’s why Bibles are left closed in the drawer. That’s why we need Jesus.

LIFE Link: Jesus really desires to bless you into his rich, abundant life.