Seeking and Knocking

I find myself doing a lot of waiting on God these days. For the past year I have been transitioning from my job to something else—not quite sure what. I have finished the book that I set out to write, but I wait to know what to do with it. I have speaking engagements on the spring calendar while I wait for direction as to what to say. More income would be very nice as we face retirement years so I wait for opportunities.

What do we do during a time of waiting?

This morning I read Matt. 7:7-12. Verse 7 struck me anew: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you.”

Generally, I have heard this applied only to prayer, but this morning I realized that it is also a call to action—to be busy seeking and knocking while at the same time asking. God is the one who opens the doors and provides for us, but we must be active at the same time. I do believe prayer is the undergirding, but these verbs suggest more.

Too often we rely on “open door” theology—I would call it. Whatever opens is God’s will. I don’t think that guidance is the point of this passage. It is a call to be actively pursuing God and his kingdom (the major theme of the Sermon on the Mount). As we seek God’s best in our lives and in the world around us, he does open doors and gives us that for which we are looking when it’s for his glory and his kingdom. There is no carte blanche promise to protect us from our selfish or foolish prayers or decisions here by closing doors.

I was very encouraged through this passage today. I need to be actively pursuing options for publishing, ways of provision, and avenues of ministry that lead me toward God’s kingdom and give me ways to influence others in that direction. While I wait, I can't lose heart because it's God's work to give and to open.

How are you actively seeking the kingdom in a time of waiting?

(If you are waiting, my previous post on this blog and on Tapestry may encourage you.)