Sermon on the Mount
Asking, Seeking and Knocking
This devotional is written by Catherine West
Matthew 7:7-12
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; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
9 "Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 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! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Reflection
I come from a very broken family, with no real relationship with my father. So sometimes I like to imagine what God would be like as my biological father. Like if God had an office job, His desk would be covered in photos of me. If I played a sport (which I don’t) He would come to every game and be my biggest cheerleader. And If He had a couch we would sit together in the evenings, talking about our days while we watched Love Island.
Raising children has taught me a lot about God's character. I am a full time Nanny and my current charge is a sweet but ridiculously sassy almost three year old girl nicknamed Mouse. I’ve looked after her since she was seven months old. I spend more 'awake hours' with her per week than anyone else in the world and although I am not her parent, I love her and care for her as if she were my own child.
When she is hungry I feed her. When she is tired I carry her. When she cries I comfort her.
I want the absolute best for her.
And sometimes that means saying no to the things she asks for. I don't like saying no. I try to explain my reasons and offer alternatives but she still gets upset with me. In many situations she doesn't see that I have her best interest at heart, she just thinks I'm a party pooper. There is still so much she doesn't understand.
When I was three I remember picking up a fallen apple from our apple tree, my father told me not to eat it because there was a worm inside, but my three year old eyes couldn't see any worm so I didn’t listen. I found him in there about halfway through the apple. Lesson learned.
Saying no can sometimes be more kind than saying yes. But more often than not, if Mouses request is in her best interests, I say YES.
If I can feel this much love for a tiny human I didn't create then I cannot begin to fathom the way God loves us. He loves us so much He doesn't always give us what we ask for, usually He gives us something much better.
Raising children has taught me a lot about God's character. I am a full time Nanny and my current charge is a sweet but ridiculously sassy almost three year old girl nicknamed Mouse. I’ve looked after her since she was seven months old. I spend more 'awake hours' with her per week than anyone else in the world and although I am not her parent, I love her and care for her as if she were my own child.
When she is hungry I feed her. When she is tired I carry her. When she cries I comfort her.
I want the absolute best for her.
And sometimes that means saying no to the things she asks for. I don't like saying no. I try to explain my reasons and offer alternatives but she still gets upset with me. In many situations she doesn't see that I have her best interest at heart, she just thinks I'm a party pooper. There is still so much she doesn't understand.
When I was three I remember picking up a fallen apple from our apple tree, my father told me not to eat it because there was a worm inside, but my three year old eyes couldn't see any worm so I didn’t listen. I found him in there about halfway through the apple. Lesson learned.
Saying no can sometimes be more kind than saying yes. But more often than not, if Mouses request is in her best interests, I say YES.
If I can feel this much love for a tiny human I didn't create then I cannot begin to fathom the way God loves us. He loves us so much He doesn't always give us what we ask for, usually He gives us something much better.
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