Devotion: Getting Everything We Ask

Please read the scriptures from the weekend: Matthew 7:7-12

Pastor Greg’s message Sunday was one I’m sure all of us have thought about from time to time. I like to contemplate on the Faith Talk questions from the bulletin each Sunday as a way to connect to the message on a deeper level. For example, this past weekend’s first Faith Talk question was: How often do you pray? I love the fact that prayer is a way of staying connected to God every day. As my mom would say, “Fold your hannies, honey.” Although that’s not always needed for this conversation with our heavenly Father, it’s an ongoing dialogue between God and I and grants me a calm I find nowhere else. At night, the conversation seems to involve extra focus, because my little dog often tries to join the huddle with his head.

I am reminded there are those in my life I praise the Lord for, family and friends. I’m a firm believer that when God brings someone to mind, it’s a call to pray for them. This week, God “covered” a question I had: Why exactly do we gather to pray (in prayer partners or congregational prayer)? He whispered to me that this is a time to join our hearts in something He wants for us: to be a “family in one thought.” Many of you may have felt this when asking for prayer for loved ones or for the anxieties of our world.

Another Faith Talk question asked: “How do you feel when you don’t get what you’ve requested?” Personally, I don’t feel the lottery is a worthwhile prayer request; God isn’t a vending machine. In the Lord’s Prayer, we say, “Give us this day our daily bread.” I see this as God’s way of providing what we truly need: shelter, community, and the people who help us find our way.

But what about when we don’t get what we’ve requested? When we ask for material things or specific outcomes, God might be nudging us to look at our lives through the lens of His grace. Sometimes, we are called to action, to seek. Perhaps show kindness or compassion to others, or to develop a new skill. Relationships can be difficult. And as another Faith Talk question put it, “Was it (the result) for the best?” Sometimes the answer is “not yet.” While we don’t always know the “why” behind every struggle, we do know that God is in the struggle with us. Even in the silence, He is drawing us closer to rely on Him, knowing He is in control. I often feel His heart breaks with ours when we struggle to see the love He is trying to show us.

Finally, let me share a memory from my childhood. My Grandma Hoppe had a picture on her dining room wall of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. I believe that is the door to our hearts. I would often catch myself staring at it for the longest time, pondering it. When I think of this passage, that’s the image I see first.  

Dear Lord, we pray that we can open the doors of our hearts to let You in. Warm us with Your grace and compassion, answer our prayers according to Your will, and help us grow in grace as Your beloved children. Let Christ be seen in us today! Amen.

Written by Fran Baatz

Fran has been a lifelong member of Sheridan as the first baby girl to be baptized back in 1953 as her parents were charter members.

She loves to serve as a part of the Hospitality team as well as one of the Sheridan quilting teams. She is also a member of Lydia Circle.

Fran has four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren she adores as well as her two daughters.