The unbounded offer of Mercy

"For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. "

There are many complexities in the leap of faith Christians are called to take. It's not that easy to understand the will of God. Sometimes things happen in our lives that call us to question HIM. It could be a lost job or maybe the hardship of an unexpected death or personal tragedy.


Often it's not the complexities in Christianity that give us trouble, it's the simple things. Religion in our lives needs to be a place of continual discovery and Matthew's gospel here reminds of the expectation to be proactive in faith. You need to ask, you need to seek and you need to knock. It doesn't mean there's magic words for getting everything you want, but it does mean that if you actively implore God in your life, he will make sure you have what you need for salvation.

The promise of eternal life is an offer -- a free offer. We need to implore God for the forgiveness, the mercy and the encouragement to make that journey with Christ on the cross to defeat death, and unite with him in life eternal.

A good friend of mine was talking with me about the ongoing debate over whether lent (the time of preparation and fasting in the 40 days leading up to easter) is solemn or joyful. The interesting conclusion we came to after a great deal of conversation was that the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. Lent is (1) the greatest love story of all time. It's the story of God giving everything on the cross for the chance that we could be saved. Jesus did that knowing there would still be some who reject his offer, but the chance to save you - yes you who is reading this right now, is what made it all worth it. Lent is also (2) a time of great solemn reflection. The tragedy of lent is the reminder of the great sufferings of Jesus and the role our sins have in making it worse. Every time we fall short in our commitment to God, we contribute to the pain Jesus bore on the day of his death.

Joy and tragedy are not incompatible in our understanding of faith. The one thing that ties it all together is God's endless mercy and love, which never fails for the seeking heart.

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