Luke 11:9-10
So I say to 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 he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.
At our tuesday night bible study last week David opened up with the challenge for us to ask God to work in us through the study. I didn’t really want to ask God this (for fear that He might follow through) but I did.
We read through two stories of Jesus’ ministry: Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night & Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman a the well (John 3-4:38). We talked through both characters and came to two conclusions: 1. They both desperately needed Jesus. 2. They both had a problem that stood in the way of redemption. Nicodemus wouldn’t accept the love of God because he couldn’t intellectually comprehend why he needed it (pride). The Samaritan woman wouldn’t accept the love of God because she didn’t think she deserved it (shame).
If you think about it, these are the exact same problems that hinder us from receiving the grace of God today.
David closed the Bible study with the question, “Which end of the spectrum (pride & shame) are you on when it comes to not accepting God’s unconditional love and grace?” Then we quietly loaded up in the vans and drove to the overlook (a clearing on the nearby mountain & a popular star-gazing spot amongst IMPACT 360 students). On the mountain David invited us to have a vulnerable moment with the group and share what God had been doing. People began to talk & my heart began to race. I knew I needed to share (something that I too often don’t do) but I kept my mouth shut. Share time was over. We sang a song or two and prayed, but still we stayed. Until finally Mary Michael got up but instead of leaving she came and sat next to me and whispered,
“Are you ready to go?”
“Go where?”
“Are you ready to leave the overlook?”
“What? Why?”
“Are you ready to go?”
“I, uh, I don’t know, why are you asking me?”
[my heart was racing even more now]
“I just felt like I needed to ask you. So, are you ready to go or not? Because I’m about to tell David if it is time to wrap it up or not.”
I sat there, marveled at the intercourse that just took place. I felt like God was standing in front of me, gripping my face & telling me, “TALK.”
I looked at Mary Michael & reluctantly said, “Then I think I should say no, I’m not ready to leave the overlook.” She just smiled & patted my leg.
I went on to share that pride is the reason why I haven’t fully accepted the love & grace of God. Admitting that I needed God’s help in every aspect of my life was only admitting that I couldn’t do it on my own.
It wasn’t until I laid in bed that night, running the event of the day through my head, that I realized that God had fully answered my prayer. I had prayed that I wouldn’t get in the way of him working in me and he did. He used people like Mary Michael & David to do so, but nevertheless, I asked, I sought, I knocked & He answered. || Posted by Chelsea Brown | Class of 2010