Two Pews Away
How often do we petition God to bless us? We ask for comfort, peace, forgiveness, wisdom, healing, and love. We ask God to be with us, to save us, guide us and to protect us. When a situation is beyond our abilities, we ask God to step in and do what we are unable to do. The requests are as diverse as those asking. God wants us to ask. He wants His child to rely on Him, to trust Him. Matthew 7:7 says: “Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Our God is a giving God; all good things are from above (James 1:17).
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Paul and Timothy are instructing the saints at Philippi to talk to God, to cast their concerns upon He who is able and to make their requests to God from a thankful heart. God knows how to give good gifts, Matthew 7:11. As we ask we need to be thankful for God’s answer and for blessings that we already enjoy. We need to count our blessings, we must. If today you haven’t reflected on God’s goodness, stop and do it now. Our blessings are too numerous to include in this article, but I will list a few: God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, the church, prayer, freedom to worship God as He commands, those who proclaim the true gospel of Christ, the ability to serve God by serving others, our country, family, wife, husband, children, mother, father, grandparents, friends, our health, opportunities, homes, safety, our jobs, food… the person sitting two pews away from you each Lord’s day. When we take the time to see what God is doing in our lives it allows us to realize how blessed we are. At times we pray for things that the Lord has already provided, things we just haven’t noticed. Do you need a friend, a mentor, a brother or sister in Christ, someone to serve? Your blessing could be two pews away.