Thursday of the First Week of Lent
“7 Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? 10 Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? 11 If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 12 In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets” Matthew 7:7-12.
Here Jesus is clear that when you ask God for something, you learn something about God, namely, that He is trustworthy, that God cares, and that God listens. But our requests also tell us some things about our present condition in life. Such requests tell about who we are. In fact, whenever I read the Bible I always ask myself three questions: What did I learn about who God is? What did I learn about myself? And what did I learn about the relationship between God and me?
Our requests come from things we are experiencing, things that God puts into my heart. And it is God who plants in our hearts the desire to come to Him in prayer, and to request things of Him. The desire in my heart to turn to God is a desire God puts into my heart and mind. Prayer is just seconding the movement of God into our lives.
This Lent, pray that you ask, you search, and knock on the door to the heart of Jesus. And pray that in everything, you do to others as you would have them do to you.
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner.
From the Bible:
“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it” John 14:13-14.
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” John 15:16.
“For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him” Romans 10:12.
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