April Fool's Day

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are 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! (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV). Last week in Middle Tennessee we felt the plunge of temperatures as it went into the 20’s two days in a row. Perhaps that was winter’s last gasp for this year. I certainly hope so. Cold weather and I don’t do well together. And, this year it’s felt like the winter that would never end. Aside from a few warm days that teased us with a bit of spring-like weather, we’ve had a pretty cold and nasty March. I know March is supposed to come in like a lion. But it is also supposed to go out like a lamb. That’s hardly been the case. But, I suppose that fits the day. After all, this is the day that people in countries all over the world play jokes on one another in the name of “April Fool’s Day.” We have all been the recipient of those pranks. We all also understand that in addition to the jokes of this day, life has its own pranks also. We set our plans in motion. We have our expectations and timeframes. We look for the patterns and seasons of life to take a particular course. But, then things don’t turn out the way we expected. We are left wondering, is this for real? We feel taken! We feel as if someone has played an April Fool’s Day joke on us. Although life may play some pretty cruel “jokes” on us, each of us needs to be reminded, God will never do so. He’s not one to make us think one thing when the truth is something completely different. He’ll never lead us to trust him for something and then pull the rug out from under us. You’ll never hear him say, “April Fool’s” after you’ve believed him. Rather, God is always good and kind. He’s always true and faithful to his word, fulfilling everything he has ever promised his children. Certainly this is the meaning of Jesus’ words in our reading today. We can ask and know we will be answered; we can seek and know we will find; and, we can knock and know it will be opened. He gives to us better than we give to our children. Be encouraged today to know that in the midst of the disappointment, pain, sorrow, and cruel “jokes” that life can sometimes bring our way, we have a Father in heaven who loves us. He has promised to always be with us, to hear us as we pray, and to meet our needs. He will always be faithful to his word. And, that’s no April Fool’s Day joke!