DevoToday.com

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks 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! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 7:7-12

I used to really struggle with this passage.

I’ve had a number of life experiences where what I asked for and was seeking never happened. God did not give what I was asking. I used to think “but what happened to ‘ask and it will be given?’ I’m asking!”

But then I read more closely… The son who asks for bread doesn’t necessarily get bread — just not a stone. Asking for a fish doesn’t mean a fish shows up immediately — but it would be absurd to give a gift like a snake, which doesn’t fulfill the need.

Sing along with me now:

You can’t always get what you want…
But if you try sometimes well you just might find you get what you need.

Not getting a fish or bread doesn’t mean you go hungry. It just might mean it will be a fruit and nut day.

When we ask, God provides. When we seek Him out, He will be there. It might just not look like you thought it would.

Be God’s — every day.

And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little. Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.
Exodus 16:18

This is part of the story of God providing manna from heaven. When God’s people needed food, he provided in miraculous fashion. Everyone got what they needed.

When we are in need, God provides. It may seem, at times, that what we are provided is less than what someone else has or is less than what we really need. When we feel this way, remember the manna. Everyone gets what they need. No more, no less.

Be God’s — every day.

Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.
Joshua 3:15-16a

The context here is important. God is leading Joshua into the promised land, at a time when the river was at it’s highest and seemed impassable. Yet when Joshua reached the river, it became passable. God provided a way, and even waited to do so until it would be clear God was providing.

Sometimes when we are on a journey, we can also reach a point or a place where it seems impassable. Yet just like Joshua, God often makes a way for us too. We may not always see it as obviously as the Jordan at flood stage, but that could simply mean that we aren’t trying to see it.

Look around and think about your journey. How have you seen God making a way?

Be God’s — every day.

If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
1 Timothy 5:8

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:7-8

Bonus… Two verses today!

I know I’m taking each of these two verses a little out of context (the first is in a section about caring for widows, and the second is about avoiding the temptation that the pursuit of wealth can bring). However, they were my random verse two consecutive days and fit nicely with my post from yesterday.

I struggle with what “provide” means here…

I love my wife, and take great joy in seeing her happy. She’s not a greedy or extravagant person at all — I’ve commented since we met that she’s a “cheap date.” But I’d feel like I wasn’t providing appropriately if she only had the bare minimum. I definitely feel the pressure at times of being the primary income in the family, and that pressure has definitely kept me risk averse in making career moves.

But where is the line between providing for family and having enough?

I’m pretty sure Kim and I have crossed that line — our Starbucks tab alone could probably feed a family in need. So this isn’t about “how much” per se as it as about “how secure” life can be.

I don’t have an answer (again)… Just questions.

My eyes have really been opened the last few days as I’ve seriously pondered these types of questions. I hope that by being open about it that someone else feeling challenged in the same ways might be encouraged.

Be God’s — every day.

P.S. Thank you to those who have reached out or lent an ear as I wade through these questions and start to make some decisions. I greatly appreciate your advice, encouragement, and prayer.

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.
Acts 16:7

We often picture the Holy Spirit opening doors for us or making things happen. We pray for new direction or new opportunity. We hope for that shining light to show us the way.

Sometimes, that “way” can be a big old stop sign. And in many of those cases, we are surprised by that.

I am quite curious what this looked like for Paul. Did he get a revelation “don’t go there” during the night? Did a glowing white Jesus appear and block the road? Or maybe something crazy happened — road construction or his horse broke down — that just made it impossible? Given that Paul planned to go there, I wonder how readily he accepted redirection.

The Spirit works in many ways. Sometimes the message is “do this” or “here, this is for you.” Other times the message is “uh, no” or “don’t go there girlfriend.” May we all have the wisdom to accept the negative message just the same as a positive one.

How might the Spirit be redirecting you?

Be God’s — every day.

Give us today our daily bread.
Matthew 6:11

At this point, we have entered into conversation with an intimate God, whom we also respect, and have asked that his will become superior to our own.

Now comes a request…

Note, however, that Jesus does not suggest that we pray for an abundance of food or for riches.  Instead, he suggests that we ask God to provide what we need.  Now what we want… but what we need.  Simply our daily bread.  As an extension of God’s will being done, we simply need the minimum so that we can be instruments of his action.

When you pray today, focus on needs rather than wants.  Subject yourself to God’s will, and trust that God will provide what you need.

Be God’s — every day.

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.
Proverbs 3:27

How do we know when someone deserves good? How do we know what “good” is to provide?

Like many verses, this verse can quickly generate a lot of questions. However, the more I think about it, the more I think that trying to define “good” and “deserve” misses the primary point.

I don’t think it’s a stretch to say there is a lot of obvious good in the world. For those who are hungry, food is good. For those in pain, a prayer or a smile is good. In these cases and many others, we know it when we see it. The point, then, is to act.

We have probably all been in a position to the provider of good before. Usually, it’s a pretty rewarding thing for us as the providers, too. Why not seek out and act upon those opportunities we see?

Be God’s — every day.