In the Meantime

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.(Luke 6:45)

Yesterday was a perfect day for a rainbow. Dark clouds and sunshine colored the sky with every shade of blue imaginable. All day long, I found myself peeking out the windows on the back of my house, peering towards the eastern sky searching for a bow of colors.

Finally, just before sunset, my hopeful glances were rewarded with a faint rainbow. A beautiful reminder of God's faithfulness. A shot of faith straight to my heart.

I take rainbows personally. I believe, when I catch a glimpse of one, that my Father in heaven, has placed it over my head just for me. To feed my faith. To remind me of His promises to me.

A simple reward for looking to Him in expectation of something beautiful in the midst of everyday life.

Isn't that what faith is all about. Looking toward heaven in hope. Seeking God in expectation of finding Him. Asking for something beautiful in anticipation of receiving it.

I believe God desires for us to continually look to Him in expectation, anticipation and hope.

Jesus encouraged this when He told his disciples Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you (Matthew 7:7).

In a relationship where we allow God to lead and we follow, we will find ourselves naturally looking to Him because He will continually promise us a more beautiful future. He will continually encourage us to keep moving forward toward Him, walking in His will.

Often, however, the wait proves more than our feeble faith can handle. The wait becomes a burden that leaves us feeling hopeless and discouraged. The promised beauty seems hidden by dark clouds and falling rain.

That's why God gives us the gift of promises to rely on in our journey. Words of truth that we can repeat to ourselves when we're feeling less than faithful. Less than hopeful. Less than expectant.

Statements full of faith that become like a gas station -- a 7/11, if you will -- where we can rest for a while and fill-up our faith. Like the one Jesus gave His disciples in Matthew 7:11. So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.

Jesus promises good gifts that may not be exactly what we asked for, but will prove to be exactly what we need when we struggle in our faith. A rainbow shining through the clouds. The perfect song on the radio at just the right time. Words of encouragement from a trusted friend.

Gifts that feed our faith in the meantime. While we're waiting. Because sometimes it seems that most of our lives are lived in the limbo of waiting. Looking forward to more beautiful things.

It's what we do in that waiting, that speaks to who we are in God and the beauty that He will eventually reveal in our lives.

And that has a lot to do with what we spend our prayers asking for...

Earlier in Matthew, Jesus said that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets. Here, He told His disciples that the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets is to do to others whatever you would like them to do to you (Matthew 7:12).

The essence of scripture is to turn our own desires into gifts to others.

To give what we want.

If what we ask God for, if what we seek in this life, if what we want, has only to do with our own selfish desires, then we are missing the point of our faith entirely. Our desires are meant to become our gifts. Good gifts. Good fruit. Poured out on others.

Our desires are meant to be less tangible, and more spiritual.

I think it's clear in scripture that the thing that God wants us to want, to ask for, and to seek the most is to be more like Him....More like Christ.....Fulfilling the essence of all that is taught in the law.

Loving. Joyful. Peacemaking. Patient. Kind. Good. Faithful. Gentle. Self-controlled (Galatians 5:22-23).

Our desire should be to produce good gifts -- good spiritual fruit.

In fact, our heart's desire should be for a good heart, because that's where every thing else flows from.

Jesus said, A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit (Matthew 7:17).

In the same teaching in Luke, He said, A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.(Luke 6:45)

Our greatest desire should be for God to change our heart from evil to good.

So that what we do to others, while we're waiting for God to fulfill His promises to us, is good.

So that who we are, when we're not quite who we want to be, is a good person. 

So that we can stand firm in our faith even when we find ourselves knee-deep in rising floodwaters.....waiting for our own beautiful future.

Jesus said, I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built (Luke 6:47-48).

We are a house in progress. A good tree in the making. A promise being fulfilled.

In the meantime, if we listen to God's teaching and follow it, we will give good gifts to others.

That is the gift of faith in us.

(Journey: Matthew 7:7-29; Luke 6:43-49)