Strong spirits: here's the good news
Like any good parent, God very much wants to give good things to his children.
If you could ask God for anything at all, and know he would answer, would you? What would you ask for? Here's the good news... He will!
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you... If you, 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! " Jesus to his followers (Matthew 7:7,11)
"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." King David (Psalm 34:4)
David knows, and Jesus makes it clear that God is a loving father, and like any good parent, he very much wants to give good things to his children. The problem isn't with God's ability or capacity or desire to give. The problem is with our willingness to ask, seek, and knock. The problem is with our willingness to pursue God. We are so busy with everything else, God gets very little of our time.
Prayer is the path to knowing God. As we begin to take delight in him, he takes delight in hearing and meeting our needs, and making us fully who we really are.
Start today. Start to ask, seek, knock. He's ready and willing.
Gary Schwerin serves as pastor at Caledonia Congregational Church. He is also the Spiritual Development Minister for the YMCA of the Rock River Valley and Executive Director of Bridge Ministries of Rockford. Prior to launching Bridge Ministries, Gary spent many years in leadership with Young Life. His columns appear here every Sunday - to see them all, subscribe to our daily email.
