Ask - Seek - Knock

 Read Matthew 7:7-8

We begin this year and this series on the words of Jesus with something not so restrictive—no thou shalt nots.  We begin with something not too sacrificial—no real pain involved.

We begin with something that seems to be mostly about us.

Jesus began what we label as chapter 7 with counsel against condemning judgment.  He concluded this short pericope with some interesting words—don’t cast your pearls before swine.

That’s an interesting one.  How about don’t expend your best on something of no value.  In context, it would be quit wasting your time and energy finding faults in others and work on yourselves.

But how do we work on ourselves?  We know from last week that we are to put the words of Jesus into practice and this week those words are ask, seek, and knock.

Here is the scripture again.

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.

Jesus tells us to participate in our own success.  Think about what you need and ask him for it.  He wants to give you what you need.

He tells us to seek.  That means to go after the thing that we have asked him for—put some effort into this. We are collaborating with God in getting what we need.

We are not just recipients. We are also participants.

Finally, he says to knock.  There will be a time to realize the thing that you asked for and have been seeking.  Don’t wimp out at the last minute.  You found the door to what you seek, now knock.

Ask, seek, knock seem reasonable, but what if we ask for something that isn’t what we need? It’s good to read beyond these two verses.

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? 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!

The basic reading reminds us that if our kids ask for something good, we won’t give them something bad or burdensome. There is, however, more to these scriptures. 

The heart of these scriptures tells us that if we who can’t figure out which way is up can give good things to our kids, don’t you think our Father in heaven knows what we need and what to give us?

So, if we ask for something that doesn’t get us closer to God, the answer might just be, ask for something else.

Spend a little time figuring out just what we ought to be asking for in the first place.  If you need a church term for that, then call it a time of discernment.

Do you remember when God told Solomon to ask him for what he wanted? Solomon said, I only a kid. I need wisdom and discernment.

God told Solomon that because he had asked for something other than what would be selfish gratification, God would grant him what he asked for and would add status and wealth.  He told him that if he would obey his commands, he would be given a long life as well.

Solomon knew what he needed.  He asked God for what he needed.  What he asked for was not to gratify himself but to enable him to serve God in the position that he had been given.

Spend a little time in discerning what we should ask for.  Then ask.

Once we know we have asked God for something we need, then pursue it. Go after it. Participate in your own success.

Salvation is a gift. It is 100% from God. Discipleship requires our participation.  Seek after the thing that you told God you needed.

Don’t be surprised when you come to the door that when opened gives you what you need.  Don’t hesitate. Knock!

Knock and the door will be opened to you. Be ready for God to give you the things that you need just because you realized that you need them, you put some real effort into seeking them, and when the time was right, you completed the process and knocked on the door.

How do we put these words of Jesus into practice?

We want to draw near to God.

We want to be known as his disciple by our love.

We want to take good news to the world—at least part of it.

We want to realize the fullness of life that Jesus promised.

So, figure out what you need to draw closer to God or to be known by your love or to share the good news, and ask God for it.

Then start doing the things you need to do to realize what you asked for.  Expect that God is also working to make this happen. We are participants not just recipients.

When the day comes that you can realize the very thing that you asked for and sought after, seize the day.

What then?

Repeat. Ask, seek, knock.

There is always something that we need as we draw nearer to God. There is something that we need to be better known as his disciple by our love. There is something that we need to take the good news to the world.

So, ask, seek, and knock.

God wants to give us good things. In fact, he will likely give you more than you asked for. He is a generous God.

So ask for things that draw you closer to God.

Ask for things to help you do the things the he told you to do.

Some requests may be more complicated than others. Asking for God’s peace and seeking it and receiving it, might be something that comes in the moment of asking. It seems like you don’t even have to seek or knock.

If you think you need a 4-year degree to do what God has called you to do, that’s probably going to take a few years and continued prayer.

If you think that you want to be a United States Marine, spend some time in discernment before you ask to make sure that is where God wants to use you. Once you begin that journey, you will need a lot of seeking.

Understand that you will have trouble in the world. We are told to take heart—to take courage—for Jesus has overcome the world.

In this world full of trouble, God wants to give you exactly what you need, and more.

So, ask, seek, and knock.

 

Amen.