S.O.S.
June 5, 2014
The other day I was sitting at a traffic light when I looked over and saw a tow truck next to me. I've seen a hundred of them but never noticed this one special feature - the part of the tow that goes under the vehicle to lift it up was in the shape of a cross. How ironic that the most important part of a tow truck was shaped like a cross. There there to help us when we break down but who do we call when we break down spiritually, emotionally, or physically? Shouldn't it be JESUS, the One who created us and loves us unconditionally? Why is it that so often when we find ourselves in a tough spot, we look to others around us, or we look to crutches like cigarettes and alcohol to comfort us? Shouldn't our very first thought be to bring our cares to Him? He tells us to do just that - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28) Don't we trust Him enough to love us and care for us? Why then do we repeatedly look elsewhere first? Matthew 7:9-11 says: Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 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 good things to those who ask Him! Isn't it interesting that Jesus refers to us as "evil" and yet we give good gifts to our own. How then can a completely Holy God give bad gifts? He is simply incapable!
Just before this verse in Matthew 7:7 Jesus tells us "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. An important observation here is that we are told that EVERYONE who asks receives, not just some people, the absolute righteous perhaps (because we know there is no such person) but everyone. Why then do we ask and not receive? Is there some secret? The key to asking for things is to first make sure it is in alignment with His divine will. God is not going cause us to win the lottery so that we can buy our dream house, because He knows that will ultimately corrupt our walk with Him. Secondly, we must believe that we will receive what we ask Him for. Believing Him for what we don't see yet, is our faith in action. Mark 11:24, Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. So we must first, make sure that what we are asking for isn't going against the will of God and secondly, we need to exercise our faith and BELIEVE that He will provide those things that we are asking for.
Remember: Jesus is way more than just a tow truck driver who is there when we need Him to get us out of a jam. He created us, He loves us, and He seeks a relationship with us. He is always there even when we don't feel His presence, even when we sin against Him - He is faithful to forgive us when we repent and turn back to Him.
The LORD does use other people to bring comfort to us when we need it, but we should never make that person an idol, nor any other thing that steals away our affection and consumes our time.
The other day I was sitting at a traffic light when I looked over and saw a tow truck next to me. I've seen a hundred of them but never noticed this one special feature - the part of the tow that goes under the vehicle to lift it up was in the shape of a cross. How ironic that the most important part of a tow truck was shaped like a cross. There there to help us when we break down but who do we call when we break down spiritually, emotionally, or physically? Shouldn't it be JESUS, the One who created us and loves us unconditionally? Why is it that so often when we find ourselves in a tough spot, we look to others around us, or we look to crutches like cigarettes and alcohol to comfort us? Shouldn't our very first thought be to bring our cares to Him? He tells us to do just that - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28) Don't we trust Him enough to love us and care for us? Why then do we repeatedly look elsewhere first? Matthew 7:9-11 says: Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 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 good things to those who ask Him! Isn't it interesting that Jesus refers to us as "evil" and yet we give good gifts to our own. How then can a completely Holy God give bad gifts? He is simply incapable!
Just before this verse in Matthew 7:7 Jesus tells us "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. An important observation here is that we are told that EVERYONE who asks receives, not just some people, the absolute righteous perhaps (because we know there is no such person) but everyone. Why then do we ask and not receive? Is there some secret? The key to asking for things is to first make sure it is in alignment with His divine will. God is not going cause us to win the lottery so that we can buy our dream house, because He knows that will ultimately corrupt our walk with Him. Secondly, we must believe that we will receive what we ask Him for. Believing Him for what we don't see yet, is our faith in action. Mark 11:24, Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. So we must first, make sure that what we are asking for isn't going against the will of God and secondly, we need to exercise our faith and BELIEVE that He will provide those things that we are asking for.
Remember: Jesus is way more than just a tow truck driver who is there when we need Him to get us out of a jam. He created us, He loves us, and He seeks a relationship with us. He is always there even when we don't feel His presence, even when we sin against Him - He is faithful to forgive us when we repent and turn back to Him.
The LORD does use other people to bring comfort to us when we need it, but we should never make that person an idol, nor any other thing that steals away our affection and consumes our time.
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