Not too long ago, I spent quite a bit of time searching for one particular item.  I thought I knew where I had left it, but surely enough, it was not there.  Nearly an hour had passed, yet I had not located the item in question.  Finally, I gave up and decided to end my search.  It seems quite odd now, when I think about it, since I cannot even recall what the item was.  Something so insignificant now, but at the time, it seemed to be the answer to all of my problems.  Still, I could not find it, whatever it was.  And now, it doesn’t really matter at all.  Nonetheless, there are things in life that do matter.  Often, these things we search for are the keys to pivotal moments in our life.  Sometimes, finding these things is an easy task.  And other times, much like my experience with the unidentified object, the item we need seems unattainable, out of reach, and possibly lost forever.

What about you?  Are you searching for something?  Perhaps you are looking for something far beyond a missing sock, earring, or newspaper clipping.  You may be longing for your future husband, wife, or children.  Maybe you wish you had a home of your own.  Or it could be that all you really want to find is rest for your weary soul.  You may be holding on to the end of your rope, not even able to search for the things you need.  The disappointment and fear you have encountered in life could have you trapped, unable to find safety from your precarious position.  I am here to tell you that there is a way out.  As someone once said, when you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on.  Hold on and call out to Jesus.  He is the One who can find exactly what you need.

No matter what you are searching for, Jesus Christ can find it for you.  There is nothing in all Creation that is beyond the reach of our Heavenly Father.  He knows when you will marry and who you will marry.  He knows if and when you will have children.  In fact, He even knows their names.  He knows when you will close the deal on a home of your own, or if it is better for you to remain where you are for now.  And without doubt, He can restore your weary soul.  Nothing is beyond His mercy and grace.  He can breathe new life into you, motivating you to enjoy the life you have been given.  He wants you to experience a renewal of joy, a blossoming of hope, and a bounty of peace.  Don’t suffer any longer, searching in vain for the things you desire.  Present your requests to God.  He will give you what you need and so much more.  All you have to do is ask.

God’s Word says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7 NIV)  Notice that this scripture does not say that we should wait for God to come to us and give us what we need.  Instead, it says that we should ask.  He wants to give us our heart’s desires, but we must go to Him and present our requests.  All He asks is that we talk to Him.  He wants to hear our voice.  He longs to listen to our problems, whether big or small.  He wants to help us find the things that are missing from our life.  It does not say that we should get into a frenzy, upset over something that is lost.  Rather, it says that we should seek the things that are lost so that they may be found.  Jesus will help us find the missing pieces in the puzzle of our life.  He knows where every piece is and He knows exactly where each piece belongs.

Finally, it does not say that we should wait for someone to open the door for us, meekly standing on the doorstep, never announcing our arrival.  When you go to a friend’s house, do you simply stand on their doorstep, wearing a hole in their welcome mat, hoping that someone will eventually notice your presence?  Certainly not.  Instead, we either knock or ring the doorbell, letting our friends know that we have arrived.  Likewise, Jesus does not want us to stand still, but instead, He wants us to knock.  If the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is on the other side of the door, wouldn’t you want to knock loudly, letting Him know that you desire His attention?  Jesus doesn’t want us to tiptoe and whisper in His presence, so as not to disturb Him.  It is His desire that all of His children should talk to Him daily, coming to the throne to tell Him our sorrows and joys.  Jesus loves us, and He welcomes our company.  As such, when we step up to His doorstep, so to speak, we should knock loudly.  When we knock, we can be assured that the door will be opened for us.

You see, God does not call us to be passive Christians.  God calls us to be active Christians.  He wants us to be proactive, always involved in the life He has so graciously given to us.  He doesn’t want us to sit on the back row, so to speak, watching our life flash before our eyes.  We cannot simply sit stagnant in one place, never claiming the promises that He has given.  We must reach out and claim them.  We need to be bold Christians.  God wants us to present our requests to Him.  If we need something, we are to ask!  If we lose something, we need to seek the Lord and then we will find what we are searching for.  If we are standing at the door, unsure of whether we should knock, we need to knock loudly.  Do not hang at the end of your rope; instead, go inside the safety of His arms.  Jesus Christ is waiting for you to ask, seek, and knock.  He loves you, whether you are emotionally drained and hanging by a thread, or if you are confidently standing at the throne of grace.  Don’t spend your life searching.  Seek His face, and the things you are searching for will be found.

In Christ’s Love,
Jennifer