Those are two of the key phrases that stood out to me over the past couple of days as I’ve been reading God’s word and praying. They come from Luke’s oh-so-detailed account of the life of Jesus.
Jesus is teaching his disciples about prayer, at their asking (chapter 11–not the bankruptcy one, though). He gives them a model prayer, which I imagine that most of you are at least somewhat familiar with. Then he tells them a story about a man banging on his neighbor’s door in the middle of the night, needing some bread for some friends who had just arrived at his house. The guy with the bread tries to ignore the knocking, yells at the knocker, tries to put him off…but in the end gives the late-night-knocker what he came to find. Jesus points out that it’s not because of their friendship, but because of “your shameless persistence.”
So I will keep asking, seeking, and knocking. I’m going to be shamelessly persistent in my prayers, asking God to break-through in my life, in my family, and in my community.
Turn the page (chapter 12) and Jesus is teaching about money and possessions. To be honest, maybe their culture wasn’t too far away from ours…His basic premise is this: don’t spend your time worrying about stuff–what you’ll eat, what you’ll wear, etc. Your heavenly father knows you need all these things. He tells his listeners to seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.
That’s a perspective-changing truth that I need to plant in my heart. If it gives God great happiness to give me the Kingdom, what can I possibly lack? I don’t believe in a prosperity gospel, but I do cling to the fact that God promises to meet our needs and delights in giving us the Kingdom! Because that is true, what can I lack?
nada.
I love the fact that God continues to speak through his word and his Spirit, and that he is shaping my heart to hear his voice and line up with him. I need this…
0 Comments