AsK—SeEK—KNocK—-Odd As It Looks to the World Watching—-Let Us Not Give Up Hope!
AsK—SeEK—KNocK
Odd As It Looks to the World Watching
Let Us Not Give Up Hope!
ASK.
SEEK.
KNOCK.
Repeat.
ASK. SEEK. KNOCK.
Repeat.
ASK—SEEK—KNOCK—Repeat.
ask & seek & knock & repeat.
Do we see a pattern? Do we see anything special or worthy of noting? Do we see a truth? Do we see the promise? Do we?
Do we strive to obey the truth?
Do we hang on to this truth?
Do we trust the promise?
In talking with a friend, we swapped stories about our gardens, and as we spoke, I realized that we shared something much larger than just the fact that we both enjoyed gardening. True, we enjoyed the bounty of the harvest, & true, we enjoyed the tilling and hoeing that’s found in caring for a garden; yet the one deep desire that we both shared is for our children to develop a desire to become gardeners, to learn, to understand the importance of, and to become lovers of digging in the soil.
What are we asking God for today?
What needs OR names OR concerns have we penciled onto our prayer lists this day?
What are we seeking, really hoping God will do today?
What struggles OR promises OR deep desires have we written down on our prayer lists this morning?
What are we persistently kneeling, knocking, & pleading—knowing only God can create the miracle we ask for today?
We are told in God’s Word that Jesus traveled throughout Galilee, and as he went, he taught within the synagogues. We read how Jesus shared the gospel message, helping many see the kingdom of God as He paused to care for their needs.
We see how Jesus healed diseases, sicknesses, and healed souls.
We see the crowds following; we see the news of Jesus spreading.
We see how the people suffered with so many illnesses, how large crowds traveled with Him from place-to-place-to-place.
We see the crowds multiplying in number as Jesus passed by.
We are reminded of the fact that people today will see Jesus today, as He passes by them—through us—Christians—& we will see the number of believers multiple—just because Jesus passed by people—TODAY.
AsK—SeEK—KNocK—Odd As It Looks to the World Watching—Let Us Not Give Up Hope!
“When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying, . . .
(Matthew 5: 1-2)
- What are we asking God to do this day?
- How are we seeking God on this day?
- Where are we hoping to see God at work today?
- Who are passing by today as we seek God’s will as we go?
- When are we stopping to kneel and to knock?
It may seem odd to the world, but they are watching us—God’s children—to see if our faith is without borders, searching to see IF our God is—BIG ENOUGH to trust.
Let Us NOT Give Up Hope!
- Jesus told His apostles who followed Him.
- Jesus taught the crowds of people following Him from town-to-town.
- Jesus tells us—his disciples—who follow Him today.
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?
If you then, being evil [sinners], know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
(Matthew 7: 7-11)
Evangelical Christian pastor Charles R. Swindoll said these words:
“[Jesus] longs to relieve our worries and has promised to supply our most fundamental needs.”
WE HAVE SO MANY NEEDS.
GOD, IN HIS AMAZING GOODNESS, SUPPLIES ALL OUR NEEDS.
JESUS LONGS TO CARRY OUR BURDENS.
HE DESIRES THAT WE WALK THROUGH TODAY, LED BY HIS HOLY SPIRIT.
We can pray.
We can kneel, stand, lay, sit, bend over at the waist, jump, drive, run, walk—praying as we do.
Our lifted prayers will be heard.
Our prayers will be answered within God’s will.
Even half a world away, others will benefit from our prayers.
- We can ask for another’s protection.
- We can seek for their strength and fortitude.
- We can continually pray, knocking and knocking and knocking, praying for God to give them courage.
Religious liberty is a most wonderful gift God has granted, and we should never become complacent in this gift from our Father. Let us choose to believe that God hears our prayers today. Let us choose to remember to pray on this day, and then tomorrow, on that day too.
I read this morning that Ukraine is the “breadbasket of Europe,” that there are silos full of wheat and corn ready to supply to the world, but grain that cannot move because of the war on their soil.
When I read these facts, immediately I thought of my conversation with my friend, about the talk we enjoyed as we shared our love of gardening. Sowing seed, Digging in the Soil, Tilling the ground, Planting, Weeding, Hoeing, and Sharing this work with our children—AS WE WAIT FOR GOD’S HARVEST.
Thank You God for the harvest You bring to our backyard gardens.
Thank You God for the harvest You will bring to those who trust You.
Thank You God for the freedom to pray for those who are suffering with war.
Thank You God for the liberty to kneel, to ask, and to seek You, God.
Thank You God that as odd As It Looks to the World Watching—we can AsK—SeEK—KNocK.
Let Us Not Give Up Hope!