Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 24: Year 2
Morning, Psalms 30 and 32; Evening, Psalms 42 and 43;
Ecclesiasticus 15:9 to 20; Revelation 10:1to11; Luke 11:1to13
“So I say to you, 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.” (Luke 11: 9 and 10)
I think having a curious mind is a human characteristic. Perhaps other creatures as well, for example, some birds, cats and apes, but most definitely, human beings. We search for answers for all sorts of things.
Asking a question is the beginning of learning. We can often get an idea about the intellectual depth of a person by the questions they ask. But asking in our Gospel reading has to do with asking for help. A man wants to borrow some bread from a neighbor in order that he might have food for his guests. Jesus’ point is that if he is persistent in asking, he will get what he needs and he will have joy.
Searching for something missing is often challenging. We have to have some idea of what we are looking for and believe it is findable. Sometimes what we are looking for is hidden in plain sight. And sometimes, what we are “in-search-of,” we really don’t know. But we believe we will know it when we see it.
Knocking on a door is human specific. We want in. It could be a place of employment, or a club, or a school, or a church. We need to be careful however, about knocking on doors. Sometimes we get in and it’s not as alluring as we thought. In such a case we might look for the door again in order to get out.
Asking, searching and knocking are all desires to develop ourselves further. The direction of developing is very important. Developing more wealth or power is idolatrous. Developing a closer spiritual relationship with God should be the goal of every true believer. Asking, searching and knocking are pursuits. We are asking for; or in search of; or trying to gain entrance into; something that we believe will make us more whole and bring us into the realm of the Holy. Believing starts the process, asking and knocking is the resultant action that brings us eternal joy.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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