TGIF
“And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves,for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’;and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’?I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.
And I tell you, 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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!””
(Luke 11:5–13 ESV)
“Keep a knocking but you can’t come in
Keep a knocking but you can’t come in
Keep a knocking but you can’t come in
Come back tomorrow night and try it again…”
Little Richard
Last night Chester missed dinner.
He was out doing whatever it is that cats do and didn’t come home until the wee hours of the morning.
Miss Kitty and I were sound asleep, but that didn’t remove his hunger.
He howled and yowled until it sounded like he was gargling and he did so until I woke up, got up, and fed him.
Chester was impudent and received the reward for it.
That’s a nice little real life allegory to this verse.
Unfortunately, it’s not very comforting these days.
What if…instead of getting up and feeding him… I got up and tossed his sorry tail out the door and turned on some noise to drown out his howling,yowling, and gargling?
Let’s be honest.
Some of us have asked until we’re hoarse, sought until we’re exhausted, and knocked until our knuckles bled.
All without response or without help.
What then?
What do you do when it seems like the Scripture is an empty promise and God has put you outside the realm of His goodness?
Some reinterpret the text to mean that God is only giving “spiritual” gifts.
If so, then manna was unnecessary and God only thinks you need spiritual things.
He told you to ask for bread…bread is real.
Don’t play that game.
Your need is real and your God is real.
You are not outside the goodness and love of God.
Don’t stop asking, knocking, or seeking.
He told me to remind you…so you could remind me.
Make your own application…
This is such an important topic for discussion. At the same time, it’s very difficult for many Christians in America (mainly me) to speak on with any credibility.
God’s Word is perfect and true. But it seems to make its home in the humble. Not an emotional humility, or a fallen face, but an existential humility, which Christ wills to bless some Christians with.
Thank you for that encouraging word. 🙂
Jean,
It’s a tough subject to discuss.
One does not want to doubt the veracity of God’s word or His goodness.
Yet…many struggle, sometimes in desperation without resolution.
I’ve ceased to try to understand it all…the best I can do is encourage people along the path.
Thank you, JD…
Reminds me of this quote about prayer from Buechner:
“What about when the boy is not healed? When, listened to or not listened to, the prayer goes unanswered? Who knows? Just keep praying, Jesus says. Remember the sleepy friend, the crooked judge. Even if the boy dies, keep on beating the path to God’s door, because the one thing you can be sure of is that, down the path you beat with even your most half-cocked and halting prayer, the God you call upon will finally come.”
Thank you for the honesty and helpful words.
JoelG,
Great quote…thank you.
Keep knocking, keep. Knocking
Thanks for the reminder….just keep praying and praying.
unanswered prayers always make me think of Job… maybe, there are times when we are proving our trust in God as the One Who is in charge – and maybe even, like our Lord, we can dread our circumstances, but serve God’s will? that may be presumptuous, but i don’t think so… dunno
a while back there was a popular advice given to praise God, no matter what the circumstances – if a piano falls on you, praise God…
well, God probably is not impressed if we praise Him for the momentary gift of the piano, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t always praise Him and trust Him, does it?
after a bunch of stuff out of my control, the other day i told Him that i felt like a baby in a car seat that’s fallen out of the car onto the highway – strapped in with no recourse, but to cringe as the traffic whizzed past on all sides
this walk is, after all, thru enemy territory, is it not?
i always feel blessed to have spent some years not saved like those baptized babies of some persuasions because this old hymn holds great meaning for me as i once had “Christless eyes”
” Loved with everlasting love,
Led by grace that love to know;
Spirit, breathing from above,
Thou hast taught me it is so.
Oh, this full and perfect peace!
Oh, this transport all divine!
In a love which cannot cease,
I am His, and He is mine.
2
Heaven above is softer blue,
Earth around is sweeter green;
Something lives in every hue
Christless eyes have never seen:
Birds with gladder songs o’erflow,
Flow’rs with deeper beauties shine,
Since I know, as now I know,
I am His, and He is mine.
3
Things that once were wild alarms
Cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms,
Pillowed on the loving breast.
Oh, to lie forever here,
Doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear,
I am His, and He is mine.
4
His forever, only His:
Who the Lord and me shall part?
Ah, with what a rest of bliss
Christ can fill the loving heart.
Heaven and earth may fade and flee,
Firstborn light in gloom decline;
But, while God and I shall be,
I am His, and He is mine.”
hokey? dunno, but i apologize for the massive use of comment space
speaking of our Lord and His submission to the cross, even He reached the point of crying out, “My God, why….?” i think that was His humanity speaking and i don’t think God is offended when we, too, cave under our assigned loads and ask why
never quit talking to Him, even if it’s a complaint or a cry of despair … IMNSHO
It is hard to praise God in the bad times….we have to remember all He has brought us through during those times when our soul is weary. His Spirit is with us praying with us
Em that was not hokey lol. It was very nice.
Thank you Michael…. a deep lesson, indeed.
I have very much to be very thankful for, but long ago quit praying specific prayers after extended seasons of praying, begging, supplications, etc, etc with much desperation for several matters. All of those efforts were ‘answered’ with an immovable ‘no’. Over and out. I either didn’t yeowl long or loud enough, or it was never God’s will to accomplish those things… I remain clueless.
You are a very kind cat dad. God bless you.
I am in a place of prayers only of thanksgiving, praise and asking for God’s will, God’s best for all matters. I have thoroughly learned my lesson. I haven’t a clue how He works. I trust that He is good.
” I haven’t a clue how He works. I trust that He is good.” that’s a great thot to hold onto, speaking as one who tends to “inform” God as to how He should conduct the universe 🙂