Jump Start # 1391

Matthew 7:11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in Heaven give what is good to those who ask Him.”

Our verse today, coming from the Lord’s masterpiece sermon on the mount shows the goodness of God. The Lord knows what we need. The Lord knows how to give good gifts. Jesus contrasts this with dads. When a child is hungry, a dad doesn’t give the child a rock. That is a useless gift. It was not what the child wanted and it does not help the child in his current state. Nor, would a dad give his child a snake. Not only would that not be useful, it could be harmful. Evil dads know how to provide good gifts to their children. A good God will provide what is good for His children.

It is easy to view gifts from God as the tangible items that we hold in our hands or those things of value that increase our wealth. Many, many of God’s gifts are different than that. They are not the things that can be put on a shelf, sold on Ebay or held in your hands.

Here is a short list of a few of God’s gifts:

1. Life’s lessons. God puts us in places and passes experiences before us that can mold us, change us, help us and remind us. God ultimately is concerned with our spiritual wellbeing and salvation above all things. We may suffer hardships, endure tough times, struggle but if it leads to a heart that bows to God, those have been powerful gifts. We may not, and most times, do not view those hard journeys as gifts. We would rather that they move on down the road for us, but for the listening heart, the opened eyes, God’s presence, God’s hand, and God’s word teaches us things in the darkness that we will never learn in the sunshine of life.

Today, I go to bury a friend. He was 86 years old. He was a preacher at heart and a good man. Tomorrow, I go to celebrate my dad’s 90th birthday with family and friends. It will be a party. Tears today, laughter tomorrow. Life is like that. It’s rarely a flat road. It’s hills and valleys. It’s up and it’s down. Reflecting on the lives of two old men, soldiers of Christ, good, kind and helpful, brings not only precious memories, but life’s lessons.  I view the presence of these two men in my life as God’s gifts. God puts many people in our lives. Some are there to help us. Some we learn from. Others learn from us. We become God’s gifts to others. It is easy to overlook such wonderful people as gifts from God. Where would we be without some of these people. They have taught us, reminded us, helped us, and been there for us. Without them, we may not know the Lord. Without them, we may have stayed longer in the wilderness. God’s gifts, in the lives of others.

2. Life’s opportunities. Paul prayed for open doors to preach the Gospel. The church at Philadelphia was given an open door. When John saw the first vision in Heaven, he saw a door standing open. It wasn’t closed. It wasn’t locked. It was opened. Open doors that have led to jobs, education, improvement. Open doors that have allowed the word of God to be taught. Opportunities bring hope and hope brings life. It is the guy who has run out of hope that sees only closed doors before him. He feels stuck and trapped. He is miserable and without options. Often our prayers are little. Little prayers bring little results. Why not pray for open doors? Why not pray big prayers? Why not see that it is a big God that we serve.

3. Life’s connection. Jesus began this section in His sermon by saying, “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Those three words, ask, seek, and knock are found to be progressive in nature. In other words, keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. It’s not a one time event. It’s not done once and it’s over. And the one who gives, the one who answers, the one who opens, is God. It is God who knows how to give good gifts. God in our lives. God present every day in our hearts and minds. God with us. When David described the journey through the valley of the shadow of death, in Psalms 23, he included, “Thou art with me.” I am not alone. I am not sent through the valley by myself. God is with me. When a loud thunderstorm awakens and frightens a child at night, he often races to his parents bed. There nestled between his parents, he feels safe. The storm is still loud. The storm has not passed, but the assurance and presence of his parents makes everything better. It’s that way for us. God’s there. The storm still rages on, but God with us, changes everything.

What should we ask, seek and knock for? The shallow and unspiritual answer would be, “A million dollars.” That’s not wise, spiritual nor to be expected. With that, a person would spend it foolishly and find himself even further away from God. Should we ask for wisdom to know how to say and do the right things today? Should we ask to seek someone who we may help or who may help us learn of God more? Should we knock upon a heart that has been closed by a bad experience and see if they will open up and possibly give God another chance? Ask, seek, knock—God’s with you as you walk down the path He has for you.

God is generous. God is good. God is a giver. Those same characteristics ought to be found in God’s children. Bothered, turn to God. Hurting, turn to God. Feeling blessed, turn to God. Alone, turn to God. Ask, seek, knock. He knows how to give good gifts. He’s been doing that for a long, long time. Just look at what He did with Jesus, the greatest gift of all.

Have you asked Him? Maybe it’s time.

Roger