The Wisdom of Our Faith
Jesus once said, “Ask, and you will receive; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.” (Matthew 7:7) Over the past couple of days, we’ve reflected on this as an invitation to ask the deeper questions.
I am very much aware that sometimes our questions pull at the very fiber of our souls: What will the diagnosis be? What will happen to my loved one? Will she get well? What kind of world will our grandchildren inherit? What’s going to happen to our country?
We live in a time when we are conditioned to want to find quick answers, and quick resolve… often to relieve the tension we feel in the face of the unknown. But the wisdom of our faith councils that it is precisely at this point we have to live in the tension, to allow the question to sit on our hearts… Or perhaps even reframe the questions themselves…
Maybe we could begin to ask: What is this moment calling me towards? What’s actually in my control here? Who am I called to be in the face of this? What is this moment asking of me? What is it asking of us as a church?
Jesus said, “Ask… Seek… Knock…” And there is a promise… “Ask and you will receive… Seek and you will find… Knock and the door will be open…”
No timeline is given. There are no promises that the answers we will get are the ones we might be looking for… But Jesus does end with this:
Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? If you, then, who are human – flesh and blood, 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. (See Matthew 7:9-12)
As we ask the bigger questions, as we live with them in our hearts, may we at the same time trust that God is good, and that God will accompany us every step of the way.
Let us pray: Loving God, being human we are confronted with mystery at every turn. And we struggle to know why things happen as they do. We ask you to meet us in our questions. Lead us deeper into mystery and deeper into faith. Help us to trust. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Daily Message Author: Joe Albright
Joe began his ministry in Sarasota, Florida as an associate pastor, and it was in this capacity that he worked alongside the Reverend Dr. Roger Kunkel. Roger was a colleague who became a mentor and treasured friend. From Sarasota, Joe was called to Jacksonville, Florida where he served as the Head of Staff at Hodges Boulevard Presbyterian Church. Currently, Joe and his family worship and serve at Geneva Presbyterian Church in Switzerland, Florida. Full Bio
