The Goodness We Sometimes Miss

“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 the one who seeks finds, 

and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 

Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, 

will give him a stone? 

Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 

If you then, who are evil, 

know how to give good gifts to your children, 

how much more will your Father 

who is in heaven give good things 

to those who ask him!

Matthew 7:7-11(ESV)

Recently, I was reading in Matthew, in particular, Chapters 6 and 7. Having begun with 7:7-11 and working backwards, I realized that much of the sermon on the mount is meant to help Father's children recognize the goodness of His heart toward them. 

I've spent more time than I care to remember worrying over many things. Sometimes those are related to provision, though not terribly often that. Sometimes it related to what someone else was doing and whether it was the 'right' thing to do, asking whether they were in God's will or not. Many more times, I was concerned with whether or not I was 'in God's will' or doing the 'right thing'. 

This morning, as I considered this passage, I was blown away by the unfathomable sea of goodness that the Father invites me to wade in. 

It's His goodness towards me. 

His heart towards me is always that I would know He is on my side, that He is offering protection, provision and blessings. It may not always be material blessing (though it often includes this) but primarily, His desire is that I fully understand His goodness toward me. He tips up my chin so that I look at His face and see His eyes sparkling down at me in delight. 

His gaze is fixed on me not because of my goodness or that I am 'in His will', but simply because I am His child and He delights in me. It is out of this experiential knowledge that my service to Him grows and is perfected. As I receive His goodness for me, I can share it generously with those around me.

Father God is for me and He is FOR YOU. His desire is that you and I know we are accepted as we are, fully. Does He want to sanctify us? Of course!!! But He does this through the filter of His love and provision for us. So many things we worry about as Jesus says in the chapters mentioned above, but what Father wants is for us to know He provides all we need out of His Fatherly love toward us, his child.

Spend some time soon in what is known as The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and look there for the goodness of God through the words of Jesus.  Don't let that goodness be something you've missed.