Today I am reading in the book of Matthew.
There's something about reading the pure Bible that my soul craves. Don't get me wrong. I have a stack of quiet time books that I thoroughly love and enjoy. They help point me to Jesus. But some days I just need to listen to Him only.
When I do this, I usually read enough of the Scriptures to retain one, two, or three major takeaways that I can focus on throughout the day.
Here's what I learned today;
In Matthew 7:7-11 (NLT Version), Jesus said,
"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him."
In context, Jesus was speaking to the Jewish people who were waiting for a leader to come who was promised centuries before by the prophets. They believed this Messiah would save them from their Roman oppressors and a new kingdom would be established for them. Perhaps He was referring to the Savior when He told them to continue looking and He would make Himself known to them.
But perhaps God wants us to persist in asking, and seeking other good things, too. Things we want. Or at least we think we want. Keep in mind, that He says His Heavenly Father wants to give us good gifts.
Sometimes we ask for things but don't receive what we think we want because our Father knows they're not good for us. We do not have His eternal perspective so we wonder why he doesn't answer our prayers the way we think He should.
Our Father excels in giving us good gifts. He is trustworthy. He created us for specific purposes and to do good works which He prepared in advance for us to do. He knows what will make us fulfilled. His ways are higher than ours.
Many of His good gifts can't be bought such as wisdom, salvation, fruits of the Spirit, and Eternal Life. Yet in the example above, He mentions a child asking his parents for fish and bread; good food, not stones or snakes.
This child, I reason, cannot get this food on his own because he or she is dependent on his parents. The parents give him what he asks for because it is good for him and they want to give him what he wants because they love him.
Me, I love coffee. Whether it's good for me is up for debate. But I can easily go down to our local Starbucks and get a caramel frappuccino or any other luxury food item that I want. All I have to do is get in my car, spend the money and enjoy the overpriced concoction.
Alas, here's where it gets good.
Money can't, however, give me a satisfying job, help me meet my writing deadlines, or guarantee me a successful business. It doesn't always make my relationships work out either. These are the things we must persist in asking for and He will give them to us if they are good and according to His will for us.
Anyway, here's to overpriced coffee drinks and what their purported health benefits are per Healthline.com:
- Boosts energy levels
- May be linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes
- Could support brain health
- May promote weight management
- Linked to a lower risk of depression
- Could protect against liver conditions
- Supports heart health
- Could increase longevity
What are you asking your Father in Heaven for these days? How can you pray so your requests align with the plans He has for you?
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee
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