"Asking", "Seeking", and "Knocking" Prayers

In an attempt to follow Mary's example of sitting and listening to her Lord Jesus, I opened Luke 11 this morning.  Although verses 9 and 10 are familiar and even etched into my memory, the Holy Spirit brought a new thought to light.   Read here Jesus' words:

"And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; 

seek, and you will find; 

knock, and it will be opened to you.

For everyone who asks receives,

and the one who seeks finds,

and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

Do these three types of pleas (asking, seeking, knocking) represent prayer in general or could they be representing three variations of prayer?  I began to wonder, "When do I ask, when do I seek, and when do I knock".

• I ask things of God when I know exactly what I need and have a specific request for Him.  
• I seek things of God when I am in search of relief from a pain or the fulfillment of a longing, but am unaware of what to specifically pray for or where to look for its answers.  
• I knock before God when I know where to turn for the answer, but do not have an understanding of what the answer should look like.

Ah, I began to think, this idea might just translate into my prayer life beautifully:

• Prayers for Brannin and the children are asking prayers because I have specific and clear requests for them. 
• Prayers for the church, family, and friends are also asking prayers.
• Prayers for my (and Brannin's) future are seeking prayers because I have no specific requests and no clear discernment from where the answers wil come, or what form they will take, only unfulfilled longings.
• Prayers for the spiritual development/vitality of our family are knocking prayers because I know the source of the answer is God's Word, prayer, and communication, but don't know logistically how to implement these elements to fulfill my longings.

And then, Jesus summarized the entire paragraph by saying this, 

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,

how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him."

(vs. 13)

Whether I ask, seek, or knock, the ultimate answer to my prayers is the gift of the Holy Spirit.  I challenge you to come alongside me and enter into these three types of prayers, praying to the Father, because of the Son, and in response to the Holy Spirit.  Hallelujah! 

Is it Enough to Welcome Jesus?

Luke 10:38-42

(Martha and Mary)

This past Sunday, Jeff Still delivered a rich and thought provoking sermon as he challenged us to think about the differences between the way Mary and Martha responded to Jesus.

As I reviewed this passage today, I was struck with two thoughts.  First, in verse 38, we see that "a woman named Martha welcomed him (Jesus) into her house."  Welcome can be defined as gladly receiving someone or to greet someone in a glad or friendly way.  Upon first glace, this is admirable of Martha to receive Jesus in this way.  

However, the second point that stood out was the comparison of verbs used to describe Martha in juxtaposition to Mary.

                                         Mary                                                    Martha

                                         sat                                                        welcomed him

                                         listened                                                distracted

                                         chose good portion                              anxious

                                                                                                     troubled

In early February, I deliberately welcomed Jesus into our home.  I gladly received Him into my upcoming months as the Lenten season and Easter approached.  And, similar to Martha, I stopped there!  After I welcomed Him, rather than sitting and listening and choosing the good portion, I became distracted, anxious, and troubled about many things.  

I have seen first hand that welcoming Jesus into my home and my life is not enough.  After welcoming Him, I must sit and listen to Him.  If you know Martha's pain as I do, please come alongside me as I learn yet again what it means to sit with my Savior, to give Him the first fruits of my days, to read His Word and to hear His perspective upon my life and responsibilities.  

May we, as women of Grace, be defined by the verbs that defined Mary: sat, listened, and chose the good portion.  

God's Provision in Deep Waters

My head hit the pillow.  I regretted the way I had spent the day. My mind was divided among too many things.  No overarching peace had led my steps through the seemingly endless demands of the day.

The next morning, I awoke tired and the daily demands called out again.  But, alas, the sound of my Savior's voice called louder and led me to rest in and be fed by Luke 5:1-11.

• Jesus told Simon Peter, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." (vs. 4)

• Jesus told me, "Go out into the deep of the day, Tanya, and put down your nets for a catch.  I have provision for you just as I had for Simon Peter.  Provision comes in the deep waters, not the shallow waters where you can stand on your own strength."

• Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing!  But at your Word I will let down the nets."

• I answered, "Master, I am exhausted and overwhelmed with many thoughts/demands.  But at your Word, I will go forth into the day and expect to see your provision for the cares I have."

Simon Peter was obedient and put out his nets. Then, the provision Jesus provided was so overwhelming and unexplainable, Peter seemed unable to endure the presence of Jesus, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (vs. 8)  It seems that this response came as the overflow of Jesus' graciousness to him.  Jesus came and aided Simon Peter do what he had toiled all night for  without success.

What have we toiled for unsuccessfully?  In what deep waters are we seeking provision from Him?  Let us obey and cast out our nets into deep waters and wait with great expectation for Jesus to provide for our needs and calm our fears.  Then, when He acts mightily, may our response be one like Simon Peter's of reverent worship of our great Savior.

The Temptation of Christ

Volumes have been written by gifted and astute theologians on the analysis of this encounter between Jesus and Satan found in Luke 4, and quite honestly I still struggle to understand this passage.  But, the Holy Spirit enlightened a small portion of it to me this past week...

Satan tempted Jesus on the three aspects of who he was, in this order:  Jesus as man, Jesus as Christ, and Jesus as Son.  These are Jesus' three roles, so to speak, that embody who He is (man, Christ, and Son).  Not one can be denied and Jesus still remain the Divine God that He is.

Satan tempts us in many ways, but I wonder if the most harmful are the ways he tries to get us to fight against who we are,  or our roles that God has placed upon us.

Every role we embody is for the glory of God!

You are student for the glory of God.
You are mother for the glory of God.
You are a wife for the glory of God.
You are neighbor for the glory of God.
You are friend for the glory of God.
You are worker for the glory of God.

If we begin to question our roles that God has given us, or begin to believe the lies that accompany those questions, we should be rebuking Satan by believing God's Word and His promises for us.

Jesus was tempted to not believe who He was...
He knew the tests/lies were from Satan...
He combated Satan with God's Word, the only Sword of Truth.

Let us rest in who God made us and the role He has sovereignly given us, and denounce the lies of our subtle Enemy with His Word.

Full of the Holy Spirit

As I continued to reflect on chapters 1-4 of Luke, a phrase caught my attention.  This phrase is used to describe nearly every main character in these chapters.  And, directly after this phrase is used, God is glorified and magnified by the character in a unique and inspiring way.

• It is said of Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you..." (1:35)
• It is said of Elizabeth, "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (1:41)
• It is said of Zechariah, "And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit." (1:67)
• It is said of Simeon, "and the Holy Spirit was upon him." (2:25)
• It is said of Jesus at the time of his baptism, "The Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, like a dove." (3:21)
• "And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit." (4:1)
• "Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit to Galilee." (4:14)

The Westminster Confession of Faith asks this:

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: The chief end of man is to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.

If the purpose of our existence is to glorify God, and Luke 1-4 shows that the precursor to glorifying Him is to be filled with the Holy Spirit, it seems that this is a precursor for us as well.  In order to glorify God with our lives, we must be full of the Holy Spirit.

The third person of the Trinity, namely the Holy Spirit, is the one who makes the Christian life possible.  Our goal as Christians, in glorifying God and enjoying Him forever, is to allow the perfect life Jesus lived on earth to flow through us so He can live our lives perfectly through Him.  

How?  By allowing the Holy Spirit to come upon us, and being filled with Him.

I seek to yield myself to the working of the Holy Spirit, for His glory.  Let us be such women, for His glory!

The Posture of Mary

Luke 1 & 2

As I repeatedly read these two chapters, Mary's posture before God stands out at both convicting and encouraging.  Two times, the Scripture states that "she treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."

But what was she treasuring up?  What was she pondering?  
She was "treasuring up" nothing less than circumstances she did not understand.  We read that she did not understand the message Angel Gabriel brought her, for she said, "How will this be since I am a virgin?"

How did she respond to this news that she was going to give birth to God's Son?
Luke 1:38 - "But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."

How did those around her respond to the news that the Savior was being born?
Luke 2:18-19 - "And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them."

Look...the same pattern continues at the end of chapter 2 when Mary and Joseph find Jesus in the temple after three days and He says, "Why were you looking for me?  Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"  All those around her "wondered/questioned", but she continued to "treasure and ponder".

How did she respond to Jesus' explanation of having been in the temple?
Luke 2:51b - "And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart."

How did those around her respond?
" And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them."  They were wondering and questioning.

**Here is how God was convicting me.  Although these circumstances in Mary's life were heavenly inspired and directly from God, they were confusing.  Mary did not, however, wonder or question or remain in a state of confusion.  Rather, she chose to treasure up all that she saw and heard.

What in my life has come directly from God, that I continue not to understand?  Let me not wonder, not question, and not ask others for their interpretation of my circumstances.

May I rather:

• ponder in faith, in the power of the Holy Spirit
• treasure up all things quietly
• wait for the reasons to be revealed, as the Lord sees fit

May we be women who follow Paul's command.  "Rejoice in hope,  be patient in affliction, be constant in prayer."  (Romans 12:12)

Elizabeth and the Holy Spirit

Luke 1:1-56

As I read this passage, I was struck.  There was one small sentence that had large impact.
Verse 42, "Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit."  The verses that follow this short sentence are full of conviction and encouragement for me (verses 43-45).

Look at the results of a woman filled with the Holy Spirit:

• Instant understanding of what God had done/was doing.  She immediately felt the child in her womb leap for joy when her cousin Mary was coming, and thus knew that Mary carried the Messiah was in her womb.  
• Loud exclamation of joy
• A spirit of humility - "blessed are you among women," she cried.  Elizabeth must have felt uniquely special and possibly a bit of spiritual pride that God had opened her womb.  But, she put aside that feeling and rejoiced in Mary having an even greater experience than Elizabeth.  Mary was carrying the Messiah and Elizabeth rejoiced greatly. 
• A spirit of honesty - She told Mary all that she was feeling, her unabashed joy and excitement.
• A spirit of encouragement/ a lifting up of Mary - "blessed is she who believed,"  she told Mary.  Elizabeth had a sense of pride toward Mary for her godly and faithful reaction to her immaculate conception. 

May I open myself up to the working of the Holy Spirit in my life and have the same results as Elizabeth did:

• instant understanding of what God has done/is doing right in front of me - There are two ways I can go about my day: 1) seeing ciurcumstances/happenings with a temporal view, or 2) seeing them as God sees them through the understanding of the Holy Spirit. 
• joy expressed
• A spirit of humility - allow myself to rejoice in others' gifts, talents and circumstances
• A spirit of honesty - not holding back when in conversation with others regarding what God is doing in and around me. 
• A spirit of encouragement - being humble enough to encourage others - even if it means lifting them higher than me. 

All for the glory of God and the praise of His glorious grace.