Tuesday - GOT QUESTIONS?


GOT QUESTIONS? 

Susan Murray 

Today’s Scripture: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8, ESV 

Theme: Jesus always is (and has) the Answer.  

THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYER 

All of us have weaknesses. I struggle with people-pleasing, and wanting to be accepted, even struggling to try and please God. When I was building a new house, I feared that I would let the house become an idol. An idol is anything--even a good thing--that I delight in more than Jesus. It can be something that gives me a sense of “Ok-ness” so that I feel I am an acceptable person. So, I often prayed during the design and building process that I would not let my new house become an idol.  

As we neared completion, many things were not quite perfect. But there was this one thing that drove me crazy, something that just didn’t line up. I’m sure you have things in your house that are not, as we say, excellent. The error could not be corrected without significant cost. It was our error. As I was sitting, having my quiet time, with this error was right in front of me, I asked God, “Why didn’t you nudge me or my husband to re-measure and find this mistake?” His reply was, “I was answering your prayer.” Ouch. God knew what I needed to help me not idolize this house. It was allowing a flaw that I did not want. 

HAVE YOU GOT A QUESTION FOR GOD?  

Maybe we all have questions we want to ask Jesus. We want guidance in a number of situations. We want to know what the right thing to do is. We really want to get it right. The “rich young ruler” also had a question he wanted to ask Jesus. He wanted to know what he needed to do to gain eternal life. The young man must have felt something was missing in his life to make him come and ask this question about getting eternal life. The rich young ruler didn’t get the answer he wanted. Jesus saw into his heart and thoughts: Jesus knew he loved his money more than anything else. The young man was technically obeying most of the Ten Commandments, but he had failed to obey the first one (Exodus 20:2-3): Love God and have no other love or god that is greater in our lives. Jesus was able to reveal to the man what his idol was and Jesus offered him a different life of joy and freedom though following God.  

EASY ANSWERS  

The young man got an answer, but it wasn’t the easy answer he was looking for. Jesus has answers for our questions, too, but sometimes they are not the answers we want. We all want easy answers and to learn without difficulty or pain. I wanted to magically obey the command to put no other thing before God without having to struggle with my own attitudes and issues.  

Make It Personal: What about you? What do you love more than Jesus? He will show you this thing that has taken His place in your life. He will also invite you to repent and trust in Him instead for your greatest joy and peace.  

Pray: Father, You always look on me with love and invite me to love You. Yet I am so prone to leave You to love other things that promise to give me what only you can provide; life, acceptance, security, peace, and joy. When those things fail me, I’m left with questions. You are there to give me the answers that I need, even if it’s not the answer that I want. All your answers are in Jesus. I thank You for revealing to me my wanderings and bringing me back to You. You are my only hope. Amen. 

Read: Matthew 6:19-20, 24; Philippians 3:18; Hebrews 12:11 

Memory Verse of the Week: “And Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.” Matthew 14:28-29, ESV