Verse of the Day 4/19

Verse of the Day 4/19

Matthew 7:11   If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!  New International Version (NIV)

When I write emails I try to be careful when using capital letters and using the "bold" button.  They are used to put emphasis on, to focus attention on those words and to stress the importance.  Often, when sending an email containing bold fonts I will follow with a phone call to make sure that the emphasis is received correctly, because I'm sure that we've all experienced a time when capital letters or bold type has caused someone to "hear" anger in the written word, when it is not actually the case.

Today's verse ends with an exclamation point.  It may seem odd, but if you'll notice, in the NIV and several other translations a question is being posed but the writer uses an exclamation instead of a question mark.  Why would this be?  I'm not certain, but to me, it is as if the exclamation "over rules" the question mark.  The focus is not to be on the question asked but the concept of the greatness of the Father's love.  The focus needs to be "your Father in heaven will give good gifts to those who ask Him."

The verse is one of many verses which give us assurance of our faith in God and give added reason to put our trust in Him.  The greatest gift is Jesus Himself and the salvation that we have in Him, it is worthy of an exclamation point!

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.

Read the short passage below or even simply verse 7 about "ask, seek and knock", here from the New Living Translation, translated in the "perfect" tense.

Matthew 7:7  "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.  New Living Translation (NLT)

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Matthew 7:7-11 English Standard Version (ESV)

Ask, and It Will Be Given

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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. ⁹ Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? ¹¹ 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!