Today’s scripture: Matthew 7:7-8 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Tyler Connoley):
Walking on our main street on Sunday, I came across two men sitting in a doorway. They had scraggly beards, and probably hadn’t had a bath this month. I made eye contact, and one of them said, “Do you have any change?” Later in the week, I was at the grocery store. A man sat on the sidewalk, huddled against the cold. “Hey buddy,” he called, “you got a dollar for a vet?” And, again, as I sat in my car at the light heading out of the parking lot, a man held a cardboard sign: “Homeless. Broke. Hungry. Please help.”
I didn’t give money to any of these people. I prefer to give my money to organizations that help the homeless, like my church, rather than give it to individuals on the street. But, I’m sure some of those walking down main street, going grocery shopping, or sitting at that traffic light did give money to those men. Begging requires a great deal of hope, and that hope is almost always rewarded.
I believe this is the context in which Jesus told his disciples to ask, seek, and knock. Remember, he was speaking to a ragtag band of homeless people who were probably used to asking strangers for money, seeking in dumps for scraps of food, and knocking on doors for shelter. Jesus wasn’t just speaking metaphorically, he was talking about their everyday lives. And he was using their own real experience of hope as homeless people to talk about the hope we have in God.
Thought for the day: The beggar knows that those who ask receive, those who seek find, and to those who knock the door will be opened. . . eventually. How much more can you hope in God, your Loving Parent, to give you what you need?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.