Bread and Stones.

Here are some things I've been reading about and pondering recently....

Matthew 7

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Part 1: The interaction between God and (Wo)Man:

First of all, I think it's essential to see this idea of asking/seeking and knocking as having a deeper meaning ultimately. We are taught deeper and more "true" ways of doing things as we progress further in the gospel.  A careful study of the words of Joseph Smith can further illuminate this powerful concept.  For the purposes of this humble post however, I will stick with just one thought----to walk the path of exaltation we must practice this process in our everyday lives as we grow from "grace to grace" . By doing so, we will one day be prepared to ask, seek and knock into "His rest".

Although somewhat obvious, for me I must constantly reassess my own level of "asking" within the parameters of my current spiritual progression.  We see in the scriptures time and time again, that  if you do not ask, it will not be given. If you do not seek, you cannot possibly find. If you are unwilling to knock, the door will remain shut to you. We are actually told to COVET spiritual gifts! COVETING implies strongly desiring, thinking about often, looking on with longing to those with the gift.....it is a verb. Desire is the necessary first step.

We may not receive the gift we are asking for in the moment, but God acts upon every worthy request. If we are not ready to receive it, God will place us in a position to become prepared to receive it. 

If we ask for strength, He will provide us with that experience necessary to develop the strength we seek. If we seek for patience we will be given Divinely ordained experiences by Him that are calculated to develop in us what we have sought. He knows us and knows what we need. Whatever is asked of Him, He will set about to ordain.

Our job is to thoughtfully and prayerfully decide upon what to "Ask" for and then practice mental and spiritual discipline in the process of "Receiving" the gift.

With this idea in mind, what GIFTS are we seeking from God? Are they gifts which will help us be better mothers, fathers, sisters, friends, or disciples? Do we ponder how the Lord might prepare us to receive a specific gift? Are we consciously and consistently asking for this gift in prayer, and writing down our request in our prayer journal? Do we go back to those words and meditate on them regularly asking for further light and knowledge? 

I believe that as the Elect of God in the last days we must be about the process of asking and receiving spiritual gifts. We need them (and HIM!) to accomplish our missions on earth--in fact, God planned it that way. We must not be distracted by frivolous things. It is why "many and called and few are chosen". 

This process necessarily (and unfortunately!) takes mental focus, persistent effort and lots of faith. It must be done amidst demanding children, time consuming callings, important work obligations and myriad other stress-laden pressures.  Ironically though, it is through this very process that burdens become lifted as we arise with God's gifts to meet the challenges that beset us.

In the past few months I have been asking for the Lord to give me a greater gift (too personal for a blog). I realize that the gulf between my desire for the gift and my readiness for the gift is great, but I see that God is setting things in motion to help me get there. One of the things that I have been prompted to do that will prepare me to receive the gift I desire is to HOMESCHOOL VICTORIA. Those of you who know me will know that I am NOT THE HOMESCHOOLING TYPE! I love my children, but also need a quiet house once in awhile. Nevertheless, I am being led to consecrate more and shift my world view a little as I seek higher spiritual gifts. It is a scary undertaking in many respects, and thrilling in others. Homeschooling is definitely not entered into lightly. At the same time, I think consecrating the service of homeschooling one's children unto God can be something that refines and defines both the child and the mother.  This is my plan.

What's yours?