Stones, Snakes, And Scorpions

Luke 11

All day long we think of things. Sometimes maybe our thoughts are on something we’d like to have. Other times our thoughts are on immediate needs such as the fuel indicator on your vehicle showing very little fuel available, even a light may indicate that “maybe you haven't noticed the indicator”, so a little help bring attention to getting to a place to refuel soon is imperative. For many there are certain times everyday many days a week that thoughts must of need be on a task or tasks that may be repetitive or focused on completing a project for which you are rewarded week by week, rewarded in such a way you trade some of your reward for necessary fuel, or trade an accumulated amout of reward for what you’d like to have. Often we refer to those times of concentrated thought as a job or work. But when I was a child, yes there were certain things I dreamed of having, and things I needed. And when I wanted or needed something I would ask my parents; in fact I was completely dependent on my parents. When I was hungry and asked for bread, if we had bread I would get some bread. If we had gone fishing and had fish available, if I asked for one, that is exactly what I would get. And when we had chickens, ducks, or geese we may have had eggs available. And there are several ways to prepare and enjoy eating eggs. But in those years growing up on the farm when I wanted bread was I ever given a stone? Or when I wanted some delicious fish was I given a snake? And even though they weren't readily found in the region where I lived I didn't ever get a scorpion when I asked for eggs to eat.

Being an adult now for a few years often I concentrate my thoughts on particular tasks so that I can get paid after which I make the choice as to what I trade my time, my work, my thoughts to obtain, the things I need. But there are things as an adult I cannot buy, I cannot trade my ability to think and do, in fact without asking God to provide them it is impossible to ever receive them. Once again we are as children fully, completely dependent on God to supply our needs, needs that cannot be fulfilled any other way.

Now the father of lies, the deceiver does everything he can to make us believe that we can do it ourselves. For Adam and Eve his lie told them you have a great spiritual ability being withheld from you. Yes, you daily walk with God in the cool of the day, well, if you eat of that fruit God is keeping you from eating, you shall be as gods. You may not even need that time with God. Yes, there is a way that you can get what you think you need (there's that thinking again), but the true satisfaction in obtaining what you truly need can only come from God Himself. What we think we can get by our own efforts for living, for growth turns out to be nothing more than stones, snakes and scorpions.

Certainly God is going somewhere deeper on my meditational ramblings. He always has His purpose for me. You know, there are a great number of quality preachers around, especially in this day and age of podcasts, videos (those shorts can really zero in!), books on how God speaks, blogs, and deeper what His Word truly has for us. And that is only amplified by the many ways of speaking to ourselves with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. But even those must not, should never replace our walking with God in the cool of the day. There must always be a time alone in His Word listening to the Holy Spirit speaking directly to our hearts as we talk with God one on one, no sound tracks, no books, no videos. Nothing whatsoever can replace that face to face one on one time with God alone.

Luke 11:9-13 GNV

And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?

If ye then which are evil, can give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Ghost to them, that desire him?