Ask, seek, knock
In one of the final messages in his sermon on the mount, Jesus spoke about how believers were to ask, seek and knock for their heart’s requests. From the passage in Matthew 7:7-11, we find out whom we ask, what we ask, how we ask and what happens when we ask.
Whom we ask
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:11)
In the opening verses of this passage, Jesus references the crowd, asking, seeking and knocking and an unknown presence opening the door and granting us our requests. But who is this presence?
In verse 11, we come to find that this presence is indeed our Father in heaven, a father who “[gives] good gifrs to those who ask him.” So, when we pray and request things of him, we know we must address God as our Father in heaven. For any of us who may have questionable if not complicated relationships with our earthly fathers, Jesus ensures that God the father is unlike any father on earth (naturally sinful or “evil” as described in verse 11). If we can truly acknowledge God as our good, good Father in heaven, we know that he will give us what we ask. But for what should we ask?
What we ask
People often use this passage as a way to justify asking God for obscene material possessions, like riches beyond compare or the fanciest car. But in the context of Jesus’ whole sermon on the mount, we know that we must ask as believers who “do not store up for [ourselves] treasures on Earth,” (Matt 6:19), and believers who “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,” (Matt 6:33). Once we are confident that we seek God’s will and righteousness above all else, we shouldn’t hesitate in asking God for anything.
How we ask
Now that we know what to ask, how do we ask? Jesus tells us to ask, to seek, and to knock (verse 7). Elsewhere in his parables, Jesus speaks of a the shamelessly persistant friend (Luke 11:5-10) and the persistant widow (Luke 18:1-8). That tells us that God wants us to be persistant to the point of shameless audacity. We must ask, seek and knock again and again. And our loving Father will delight in our persistance for his righteousness and will, and grant us his good gifts.
What happens when we ask
“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?” (Matthew 7:9-10)
Jesus ask these seemingly outrageous questions to point out the fact that God desires to give us good gifts. However, he doesn’t provide the definition of a ‘good gift’ from God. That’s up to God to define for our lives. When we ask, God will grant us our request but perhaps not in how we expect. In fact, he would often grant us our requests in ways we would have never imagined.
What have you been asking for lately? Is your heart in the right place, seeking after God’s kingdom and his righteousness? Have you been persistant in your asking? Let’s examine the circumstances in our lives. For those in COVID-related lock down, could this time of restrictions really be a blessing in order to teach us how to pray and be persistant in asking God? Spend time with God today and unload the requests on your heart, for God gave his life as a ransom for us so that we could now approach God boldly as his sons and daughters whom he loves.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you for his death and resurrection that means we could be called your sons and daughters. Help me to seek your kingdom first, God, so that I can ask, seek and knock boldly. Help me to be persistent in prayer, particularly in praying for your will to happen, Father.
I pray this in Jesus’ mighty name,
Amen.