Presence over Presents

Luke 11:10–13 (TPT)

Ask and you’ll receive. Seek and you’ll discover. Knock on heaven’s door, and it will one day open for you. Every persistent person will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he needs. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door.

“Let me ask you this: Do you know of any father who would give his son a snake on a plate when he asked for a serving of fish? Of course not! Do you know of any father who would give his daughter a spider when she had asked for an egg? Of course not! If imperfect parents know how to lovingly take care of their children and give them what they need, how much more will the perfect heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit’s fullness when his children ask him.”

Devotional

Prayer has always been a sort of struggle for me.

Me and Jesus are real tight — don’t get me wrong — but an intentional prayer life is not a rhythm I have ever been in step with.

I want to grow in this area because I think there is a place for formal, intentional prayer life as well as a place to experience casual conversation with God in the everyday areas.

When I do sit down and intentionally engage in prayer, it just…feels a little disconnected and selfish.

Maybe you feel me on this.

I pray for peace.I pray for focus.I pray for love.I pray for comfort.I pray for joy.I pray that my worries would go away.I pray for courage. I pray for kindness.I pray for self-control.When I’m on that super-Christian status, I pray for the lost.

(There’s no such thing as a super-Christian, my friends)

Recently, I was reading this passage in Luke and something hit me hard.
So often, I ask, seek, and knock in order to get God’s presents instead of His presence.

In the last part of today’s passage, Jesus says that the Father is faithful to give the fullness of the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks.
Maybe our prayers should shift from asking for more gifts from God to asking for more of God.

Scripture says that the fruits of God’s Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.
So many of the gifts that we pray for are simply fruits of having MORE OF GOD.

So, for lent today, I am giving up praying for God’s presents and starting to pray for God’s presence.

Action

Pray:
God, we want more of you. Pour out the fullness of your Spirit upon us.

Worship:
Let the words of this song wash over you today! We want more of You, God!

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Originally published at www.betterstorycollective.com.