Thoughts for the Day

‘Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Anyone who watches television programmes set in the early part of the 20th century can see that communication was pretty difficult. There might be a policeman, or a Doctor in the village but contacting them wasn't easy, particularly if they were out and about on their duties. There were no mobile phones or the internet, and the phone box might be a mile away.

Mind you, the internet can cause us communication problems! Twice while navigating around the conurbations in the Midlands Google maps cut out and left me guessing which motorway I was supposed to be on. With nowhere to stop I just had to keep going.

Matthew's account today comes from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus is giving instructions on how to live our lives as God's people. The answer is to pray, and we don't need a phone, or a satnav for that. We can speak to God, aloud or in silence, anywhere. All we have to do is to ask for His help! But, wrong motives won't get us far. We have to ask in accordance with God's will. However, the more we search for Him the more appropriate our requests become and we begin to see where God is already answering our petitions in our life or in the world. How do we knock on the door? Well it's an action we've all done when we're desperate for someone to answer the door, we just keep on banging on the door! Jesus says we are keep on 'knocking on God's door' by turning to Him constantly and never letting up on our prayer requests.

* Use the spaces to add your requests:

Heavenly Father,
I praise You, I bless You,
and I humbly ask Your help this day.
I pray for our world with all its needs:
for peace ......................................................
for justice .....................................................
for our planet ..............................................
for those who need help ...........................
for myself ....................................................
and for others .............................................
Teach me to turn to You as a first resort,
and fit my requests to Your wishes
rather than my own limited viewpoint.
Amen.