Jesus says to us “Seek and you will find,” “Ask and you will receive,” and “Knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” We, as the good people we strive to be, very much want to believe His words, but we all can come to remember situations in our lives in which we have sought, but have not found, have asked, but have not received, and have knocked without finding an open door. So how do we reconcile His words with our faith? Certainly we believe whatever Jesus says, but we might have some trouble understanding them when we match them up with our experience. Jesus also tells us that we have a Father who very much wants to say yes to His children. Jesus gives us the example of a human father who very much wants to give good things to his children and explains that if we want so much to give our children good things, even though we are so imperfect, than how much more must our heavenly Father want to give good things to us? But then why is it that we pray for things and not receive them? Perhaps we can look to what Jesus is saying in today’s Gospel. He says, “You cannot serve both God and mammon.” Basically He is saying that we will either choose ultimately to conform ourselves to the selfishness of the world or to our Father in Heaven. What happens with us is that we continually find ourselves torn between our own desires and the desires of God. God wants those things that are good for us and wants always to say “yes” to us but, for own good, will not say “yes” to those things that are not for our good, even though, they may look nice and shiny to us. What parent would quickly run to pull a nice shiny sharp object from the reach of his/her toddler, even though this will cause the little one to cry? That is how God is with us. He wants so much to say “yes” to us but in order for Him to be able to do that means that we need to conform our hearts and minds and wills to His so that we are truly able to seek first the Kingdom of God. Once we can do that, than all the abundant blessings of our Heavenly Father will be added unto us.
Posted