Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Daily - 7/22/08

Matthew 6:33

33 But seek first the kingdom (of God) and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.

Matthew 7:7-8

7 Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

8 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

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These words should be familiar to us all. There are certain passages in the Bible where I look up and say, "Sounds good. What exactly does that mean?" These words are like that for many people. How does one go about seeking something that is everywhere, yet invisible?

As I type this morning, I see seeking God as a combination of several things: Scripture, prayer, the Sacraments, and participating in the Body of Christ. If I had to pick one of these that is the most important, I would say prayer, because that truly leads to all of the rest. Sometimes I forget this. Just two months ago I was banging my head against the wall on what "Life in the Spirit" means. I couldn’t figure it out. What happened? I finally PRAYED about it. I sought it out. I asked God to reveal it to me. I knocked on the door. And He answered.

All faith comes from seeking. Developing/increasing your faith and marching toward spiritual maturity doesn’t require great intellect, or some special gift only available to few. For years I had thought that was the case, and I was continually frustrated that I couldn’t unlock the answers to spiritual questions. I thought it was because I wasn’t smart enough, or hadn’t studied enough. What I know now from sending out these daily messages is that I wasn’t taking the question to God. It all begins with seeking God -- ask, seek, knock. It’s all right there in front of us.

If you don’t feel your faith is deep enough, ask God to help build your faith. If you’re looking for an answer to a difficult question, ask God to reveal the answer to you. If you are in a time of trouble, cast all your anxieties upon God, and just seek him. It really is that simple. Sure, the situations can be extremely difficult and the questions can be extremely tough, but remember – God can overcome all of that instantly. If we seek Him faithfully, we will NEVER be disappointed.