KEEP ASKING, SEEKING, KNOCKING

Every time I go to church, I get a blessing. The music is just what I need. The prayer is just what I need. And my husband's sermon (he's the pastor) is just what I need. No wonder the Bible says, "Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is." The Lord wants us in church so our faith can be strengthened, and we can be encouraged.

Last night, Milton preached on "Rejecting Rejections." He preached on the scriptures in Luke 11 where Jesus said to ask, seek, and knock, and the door would be opened. Jesus used the story of a person needing bread in the night and asking his neighbor if he could borrow it. The Bible says he knocked and knocked, and the neighbor kept saying, "Don't bother me. The door is locked, my family is in bed, and I'm not going to get up and give it to you." But the man kept knocking and asking. Finally, the Bible says the neighbor got up and gave it to him--not because of their friendship but because of the man's persistence in knocking.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Luke 11:9

Milton said, first of all, God doesn't reject us. He said, "Come to me, you who are weary and laden, and I will give you rest." He said He would meet our needs according to His riches in glory. He said he would be our friend who sticks closer than a brother. He said He would never leave us or forsake us. Etc.

But, Milton said, sometimes our prayers aren't answered in the timing or way we want, and we feel rejected by God. And so, he said, we must reject rejections and keep asking Him. He said we need to reject rejections in all areas of our lives. He said to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, "and the door will be opened to you."

Wow, this really spoke to me as a writer. There are so many stories of my heart I want to see published. But it hasn't come about yet (though, thankfully, I have made nine sales in Christian fiction--nine published or contracted works).

Milton gave a couple of illustrations that encouraged my heart. I thought of another one as he was telling these two. These are direct answers to prayers we have prayed. Here's just one:

Four years ago, Milton and I were in a dilemma about accepting the pastorate of the church we now serve. The church was in confusion during this delicate transition time of searching for a pastor, something some churches go through, which is unfortunate. Others sail through it; that's been our experience. A board courts you, wines and dines you (no real wine involved, however :); we're tee-totalers), you try out (preach for the congregation), you are prayerful, and gives you the leading as to whether to accept the church or reject it, and everything turns up rosey.

But this church was different. Because of the confusion, we didn't know if we wanted to get involved. It felt like we were wrestling an alligator. Should we? Shoudn't we? What to do? Though we prayed and prayed, the heavens seemed as brass, as the cliche goes. "Lord, if You want us to accept this position, we'll gladly do it and believe You to help us and equip us," was the prayer of our hearts. "Please show us what to do."

Nothing. Nada. No word.

"Lord, are You there?"

Nothing. Nada. No word.

Time passed.

Weeks.

We needed to make a decision.

One morning, we were reading the Word and praying together at the oval table in the kitchen. Sunlight streamed through the bay windows illuminating the entire kitchen, but my soul felt dark and alone as I held hands with Milton across the table agreeing in prayer yet one more time. In anguish, I looked up to heaven and said, "Lord, why can't You just have someone call us?"

R-r-r-r-r-r-ring.

Yes, you heard right.

R-r-r-r-r-r-ring.

I picked up the phone. "Hello?," I said.

"Hi, Kristy. This is Jane.* Won't you please be our pastors?" She continued on, saying she had been praying and felt a direct impression to call us at that very moment and to ask us to please be their pastors. She said she normally wouldn't do something like this but that she had felt compelled.

I sat there with the phone in my hand, tears streaming down my face as I marveled at the majesty of God. He had answered my prayer! Immediately!

Huh? Immediately? Yes. But in retrospect, we had prayed for months for God to give us guidance. But that morning, the answer came.

The rest, as they say, is history. We accepted the pastorate, the church solidified, the confusion ceased, and we now count ourselves blessed to serve this fine congregation.

God answered our prayer. At just the right time.

Some might say, "Oh, that just happened."

Yes, it did. After we prayed!

Someone said, "God's permanent address is wit's end corner." That is so true! It felt like we were at wit's end corner, but the most important thing to note is, He came through for us!

Are you at wit's end corner? Struggling with a decision? Needing an answer to a prayer?

Keep asking. Keep seeking. Keep knocking. God will open the door. Jesus will come through for you!

He loves to do good things for His children.

A Christian love story.