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. 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

My daughter, Krista, came to me and my wife the other day hungry. She does not eat a lot at a time and so later in the evening she often wants a snack before bed. I had not been to the grocery store yet, and it was one of those weeks where we did not have a lot of money to spare on extra things. Still, we managed to scrape together a few dollars, and my wife ran out to the store and grabbed something for her. She ate it, was satisfied, still had some left, and slept peacefully that night.

One thing to be careful about Jesus’ teaching here is that He is not telling you to use God as a magic vending machine. Sure, there are times we should be praying for things we want. For instance, I would like to get a motorcycle, so I should be praying about what that would look like as far as finances, timing, and how I could get one without affecting my family. Not something like, “God, I want a motorcycle, please make it happen now! I am asking, seeking, and knocking!” It is also important to remember that God’s desire for prosperity in your life does not mean huge amount of money and wealth.

In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus shows us three of God’s promises. Did you know that there are over 8,800 promises from God in the Bible? None of which have broken. Among those are lots of promises to step in and help in times of need and taking care of the basics in life. We are God’s children and He wants what is best for us, just like we want what is best for our own children.

The first promise is to ask with the promise that it will be given to you. Krista was hungry and needed something to calm her stomach so she could wind down and eventually sleep. She came to us and said she was hungry and asked for something to eat. What is it that you are hungry for and need to ask God for? It does not have to be physical hunger. It could be anything. Perhaps you have a car repair that you cannot afford. Maybe it is a medical matter that needs attention. Maybe it really is physical hunger, and you just do not know how to provide for your family in a tough season. I know it might seem like an impossible task, but nothing is impossible for God. Keep asking.

The second promise is to seek with the promise that you will find. I remember vividly her looking through the pantry and around the kitchen table. She kept asking, “Dad, what do we have?” We did not really have anything. There was a little bit of rice, the two ends of the bread, and a shopping list for the next day. None of which were great options for a hungry, growing kid. Still, she did not give up looking, which started to stir me inside. Keep seeking.

The third promise is to knock, and God will open it for you. I cannot help but think Krista was knocking on my door. She kept asking “Dad, do we have anything?” And when I replied with what we did have, I could see the look on her face and hear it in her voice the words “Really, Dad!” It kind of makes me chuckle in a way when I think back at that moment. Her knocking worked, though, I went and got something for her.

In a way, God met two needs that night, the first being Krista’s hunger. The second was my financial need in that moment. Krista got her snack, was satisfied, and slept through the night. All because she kept asking, seeking, and knocking.

What are you asking for that you need to ask, seek, and knock for? Maybe you are hurting and do not know where to turn. Turn to God, enter His throne room with boldness (Hebrews 4:16), and lay your request at His feet. He will be there with open arms to help you and give you what you need, always.

Prayer for the day:

Dear Father,

Thank you for opening your throne room for us to approach you and ask for things. Please remind us to ask, seek, and knock when we are in need. Amen.

Here are some questions to reflect upon:

1. Can you remember a time when you asked for something and were pleasantly surprised by the response you received?

2. What are you reluctant to pray for?

3. What do you tend to pray about?

4. How do you think our prayers might change if we fully embraced the idea of God being a generous giver?

5. How can we support each other in our personal journeys of asking God for what we need?

6. What request will you bring to God every day this week?