Monday after the Second Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Scripture: St. Matthew 7:7-11 (NKJV)

7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being 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!

Devotion

Verses seven through eleven are beyond a doubt meant for any faithful disciple who avoids hypocrisy in the practice of the faith and seeks fulfillment of his heavenly Father’s will in all things. By God’s Spirit working faith in him, he judges himself and makes requests according to the divine Word and heavenly will. This section of the Apostle Matthew’s inspired recording of Christ’s Gospel is connected with the call to be about the work of doing the Father’s will mentioned in Matthew 7:21 and Matthew 12:50, and they should not be separated. A disciple seeks Christ by God’s power and provision, and will likewise receive the faith and grace to live and work as His true disciple. This theme about our heavenly Father so prominent throughout our Lord’s sermon cannot help but point the hearer back to the Lord’s Prayer in chapter six, and remind all who look to that prayer that they have a loving, merciful Father who desires what is best for them.

Prayer: O Lord, who never failest to help and govern those whom Thou dost bring up in Thy steadfast fear and love, make us to have a perpetual fear and love of Thy holy name; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.