Ask. Seek. Knock.

I'm in the midst of transition.  I am closing my home based business that I've had for the last 8 years.  It's been a great ride!  AND God has asked me to set that aside for something new.  I'm not yet sure what the "new" looks like and God is being patiently quiet on that account. He keeps nudging me to do what is necessary to finish what I've been involved with for this past season of my life. 

I often find myself at a loss.  I keep busy during the day.  I've begun to look for a part time job to fill any financial needs that could arise, but there's no heavy pressure or looming necessity for more funds.  I create a to-do list each day so that I don't fritter away my minutes endlessly scrolling Facebook and Instagram, or playing too many games on my phone while watching mindless TV.  At the end of each day I have a sense of accomplishment and gratitude for what the day has held.  All of that is good … and yet I sense there should be more. 

Several months ago when I first heard God tell me it was time to close up shop on my business and be prepared for something new, I began to dream and envision what that "new" might look like.  God graciously gave me a brief peek at what He was planning for me by giving me three words: encourage, equip and empower.  My imagination took wing and I created mental plans that did not receive God's immediate stamp of approval.  He remained silent.  I pulled back, even though I held tightly to the promise those three words held, reminding myself of what needed to be done first: shut the door on my business.

Days, weeks, months passed and as I am prone to do, I adapted to a new rhythm.  And with God remaining silent beyond  *close up shop,  *be prepared, *encourage, equip and empower, I slipped into an assumption that whatever God had planned wasn't BIG -- it was just a "new season in life."  I began to lose some excitement about what each day would hold. Life was becoming habitual, a bit mundane. 

And then, last Sunday night, in small group, we looked at a passage in Matthew 7  and verse 8 popped out into the forefront for me. "For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks the door will be opened." The passage talks about if we as parents give good gifts to our kids, why in the world would we believe that God, who created us, wouldn't give good gifts to us, his precious children who He rescued and redeemed?  God began to nudge my heart that I needed to begin asking, and asking BIG.

For these last four days, God has emphasized that truth to my heart.  He reminded me of the story of Joshua and the sun standing still: Josh asked for something SUPER big, and God came through, because God wanted to use Joshua right where he was.  My memory verse for the week has remind me that I can ask for ANYTHING that comes to my heart and mind as I am intertwining my life with Christ's: "But if you remain in me and my words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want and it will be granted. When you produce much fruit you are my true disciples.  This brings great glory to my Father." (John 15:7,8) The verse, in Matthew 7, that had so grabbed my attention in small group, popped up as Bible Gateway's verse of the day and God whispered, "go ahead…. Ask.  Dream, imagine, seek, study…. ASK!"  The I read the story of Nehemiah asking King Artaxerxes if he would allow Nehemiah to go rebuild Jerusalem.  Nehemiah even asked for supplies and protection… and the King (who wasn't Jewish, and didn't really care about Jerusalem) agreed! Again, God whispered, "Ask! What burdens you, what are you dreaming will happen? ASK!"  I read the story of the leper who said to Jesus "if you are willing you can heal me and make me clean."  Jesus responded with "I am willing."  Again God faithfully whispered, "ASK!  How will you know if I am willing, if you don't ASK!  Seek what I have for you, long for it. Knock on doors, try things out and discover what I will do!"  Nehemiah asked for the moon and the leper believed Jesus could do the impossible.

Today God presented his plea again as I read Psalm 106. 

Verse 1: the Lord is good and His faithful love endures forever.

Verse 2-3: "Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?"

Verse 7-8: even though the children of Israel forgot God's many acts of kindness, He saved them

Verse 13: "Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn't wait for his counsel!"

Verse 24-25: the children of Israel REFUSED to enter the promised land because they wouldn't believe God's promise to care for them.  Instead, they grumbled and refused to obey.

Today, God's plea to "Ask!" came with correction.  I knew what God had spoken to my soul.  Was I forgetting God's many acts of kindness?  Was I refusing to enter what God was promising me?  Was I doubting that God wanted to use me, give me purpose and abundant life? Was I becoming jaded toward obedience because I wasn't thrilled with God's timing or His way of doing things?  I humbled my heart and I began to list the glorious miracles of God in my life.  A verse I had previously memorized came to mind: "As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and ignore it.  For God said, 'When the time was right, I heard you.  When the day of salvation came, I helped you.' Indeed, the right time is now.  Today is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:1,2) My heart was impressed again with the truth that I am not to ignore God's kindness, it IS a marvelous gift; God hears me; God has saved me and continues to save me.

As I prepared to pray, God reminded me of the story of the unjust judge that Jesus told and is recorded in Luke 18.  Verse 1 states, "One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up."  Yes, God whispered again, "Ask. Seek. Knock."  And so I did.  And I will continue, for I serve a BIG God, with grand ideas, who offers astonishing hope and purpose.  To God be the glory.