7 “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened. 9 Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread? 10 Or give them a snake when they ask for fish? 11 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him. (Matthew 7:7-11, CEB)
I have an issue with this verse. If you only read verses 7 and 8 then if you ask for it, look for it or knock on it, you will get it, find and it will open. And this could lead to all kinds of issues. Even good things we think we want or need and we ask for it, then we get it, and that may not be the best thing for our lives.
I love the song Unanswered Prayer by Garth Brooks. Because it is just the opposite of this verse. The other place this is in the Bible it says if it is in the will of God, then you will get it. And that is what the songs says. I asked for her to be my wife, but God knew better. Now this doesn’t mean that everything is planned out. But we don’t always know what is best for us.
But the redeeming part of this lectionary reading for me is verse 11, because we know how to give good things to our children, and God will give good things to us. So some of the things we ask for, or look for or knock on are not good for us, and even though we want them, they will not benefit us, so God doesn’t give us it.
So know you won’t get everything you ask for, look for, or opened when you knock. But God will give you good things.
Give them to the world and know that God will refill your cup.
Love People. Love God.
aSacredRebel 