Ask, Seek and Knock

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.

Matthew 7:7-8

These words, spoken by Jesus, are in the context of God the Father giving good gifts to His children. They are preceded by teaching on prayer that is primarily focused on asking God for His assistance. We ask for daily bread; we ask for daily forgiveness. We seek for a holy God to make His will known on earth. We pray for His strength to stand against temptation even as we ask for forgiveness when we have not stood up. We ask Him to deliver us from evil. We promote His glory as we long for His kingdom.

That is the kind of attitude and prayer that informs the commands to ask, seek, and knock. God longs to be active in our lives, but it seems He prefers to be asked. And that is one of many reasons why we pray. Prayer aligns me under God's authority and invites Him into my life. It puts my anticipation on His power to give what I need as He opens the doors for me.

God is gracious and forgiving. He is loving and merciful. His good gifts come to His children who trust Him, receive His grace, and ask for Him to give of it to them. And the Father absolutely gives good gifts to His children who ask. But we must ask... ask as Jesus taught us.