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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
Prayer is the wonderful access we have to God, yet a struggle for many Christians. Our Lord here lays out the simple concept, foundational to everything else the Scripture has to say about this subject. Such a teaching is not exhaustive, in the sense of saying everything there is to say about prayer. That is not the point. Rather, the Lord here is setting the overall tone that undergirds all efforts in communicating with God.
First, Jesus invites us to take the initiative in approaching God. Second, in whatever way we approach God, whether having a question to ask, a favor to seek or a desire to be in His presence (i.e. politely knocking on a door so as to gain entrance)—God is open to our approach. He is leaning toward us, not away from us, open to us, not resistant or reluctant.
Third, Jesus holds out the basic hope that when we approach God, He is disposed to responding favorably toward us. We will receive what we ask for, find what we seek and we will be welcomed into His presence. What a great incentive to pray! Yet what a contrast to unbelief, the impression that God really doesn’t want to answer our prayer so we have to somehow twist His arm, so to speak, to convince Him to do what we ask. That gets old fast!
Jesus, the Master Teacher that He is, illustrates this truth by reminding us that our heavenly Father is at least better than an earthly father who will generally give good things to his children rather than bad things. When Jesus refers to “you then, being evil,” He is using rhetorical license to accentuate the point: we humans are so far different in goodness from God’s perfect and absolute goodness, that in comparison we are said by Jesus to be “evil.” When seen with such an extreme perspective, Jesus’ point is made more powerfully. If human fathers are responsive, how much more will our “Father who is in heaven” give us what is good when we ask? Scripture has much more to say about prayer, but the bottom line is that God has an open door policy for the followers of Jesus Christ who are seeking first the kingdom of God.
Lord, thank You for the standing invitation to ask, seek and knock. Please continue to teach me to pray so that my fellowship with You would increase.
Thanks for the reminder of this open invitation, Chuck!
Bill, would that we all would do as the Lord taught us!