I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a good list. That’s right, I am a list maker and checker-offer. I have a color-coded white board right inside the front entryway of our house to keep track of my masters homework and general “To Do” stuff. I have virtual “sticky notes” on the desktop of my computer. And don’t even get me started on making grocery lists. Yes, I am THAT girl that, if things are uber busy/crazy and I do something that WASN’T on my list that perhaps was semi-profound, I write it down after it is completed THEN check it off or erase it. I know. I need help. It’s on my list 😉
Are you still there? You didn’t slam your computer shut running in the opposite direction? Ok, good. Some of you might be able to identify with my OCD-ness when it comes to list-making, and others are still stuck on “List? Do what and how? WHY?!?!” But I have great news. You don’t have to be a list maker to grow closer to the Big Boss. He gives us a simple three step game plan.
Ask, Seek, Knock. Unlike a majority of Christians, John 3:16 (“For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever shall believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life”) was not the very first Bible verse I learned (it was the second, and I learned it via song, fun fact.) My first verse was internalized into my brain when I was 12, right before I was saved. (Thanks to Great-Gma’s Faith Baptist Church Sunday school in Sapulpa, Oklahoma) My first verse was Luke 11:9– “Ask, and it shall be given you, seek and ye shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” (Whoever gave a 12-yr-old the KJV of the Bible was thinking very optimistically on my ability to memorize/comprehend.)
When I was saved at the age of 12, I would love to say that my growth from a baby Christian into a maturing Christian rocketed forward. But honestly, I kind of stalled out for about a decade or so (ish.) Luke 11:9 and John 3:16 both essentially remained the only two verses that I could even get close to identifying. All throughout high school, I kept my list-making habit (eventually switching from writing on my hand/arm to paper, much to my Mama’s delight.) In college I discovered the glory of a white board for list-making. But, until the end of college, I never really dug into the fantastic “Grow Closer to Me” checklist God gives us, and I could definitely tell that SOMETHING was missing from my life.
Now, don’t get me wrong– asking, seeking, knocking isn’t a legalistic REQUIREMENT to receive God’s love. He loves us, even if we sometimes aren’t on speaking/seeking/knocking terms. But just like any effective grocery shopper (or football coach or teacher or Army Drill Sergeant) having a game plan just makes things roll much smoother. (Plus you don’t end up walking all the way back to the produce section as you reach the bakery since you realized you forgot onions ‘cuz it wasn’t on the list. SIGH.)
God has a plan for all of us (aka, His Will) so why shouldn’t we return the favor by approaching the throne with a plan to ask, seek and knock in His direction? I ran across this quote this morning on a daily devotional that always pops up on my igoogle: “My Will is the Unspeakably rich treasure. Seek it. Know it. Ask Me for it.” (Talk about blogging topic confirmation huh?) We are going to dig a little deeper over the next few days about asking, seeking and knocking, so get excited! (that was just FYI for the list-makers, so they know what is coming and they can add “read future versions of More Precious than Rubies” to their list.)
Take some time to think about the ways that you are (or want to) ask, seek, knock. Do you have a game plan in place? Just like working out or going to the grocery store, getting in the car ( AND remembering to bring your list/gameplan) can be one of the most difficult steps. Â His Word reminds us of this in Amos 3:7– “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”
Let’s ask, seek, and knock for His Will to be accomplished! Now if you will excuse me, I have to go cross “Write daily blog” off my list. CHECK!
His Will Be Done,
SGK
“Do not those who plan evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.” -Proverbs 14:22
