Ask. Seek Knock. Repeat.

Today's Scripture

We've been making our way through the Sermon on the Mount - hasn't it been rich?  I hope you have found much to ponder and that God has been challenging you and teaching you as we have dug into Matthew 5 - 7.  He longs to give us abundant life, and we can be amazed at his teaching, just like those first followers who gathered on the hillside to hear him:  "he taught as one who had authority, ad not as their teachers of the law." (Matthew 7:29).

The five verses we're looking at today don't mince words:  note the three verbs Jesus uses to talk about prayer:

Ask
Seek 
Knock

Don't give up!  And don't try to persuade the Lord with fancy words and phrases to give you what you want.  He isn't interested in your sophisticated language - he sees right through flattery.  He wants to get to know YOU.  Just like a loving earthly father, he wants to give you good things.  So don't chase after the stones and rocks - go for your heart's desire.

And tell him what that heart's desire is.  Why are we so afraid that he is going to give us stones and rocks?  Why do we think that he doesn't want to bless us?

Take inventory.  How has God been faithful in your life?  Where can you see his hand?  In this passage, Jesus talks about how the earthly father wants to give us children bread and fish - the good things in life.  What 'bread' and 'fish' has Jesus given you?  Grab a piece of paper.  Write them down.  Look at your list.  Thank God for his goodness!

Continue to Ask.  Seek.  And Knock.

Anyone who has read my blog posts knows that I am a big fan of Pastor Timothy Keller, who started Redeemer Church in New York City.  Thousands of cynical, lost New Yorkers have heard the gospel and come to faith at this church.  Dr. Keller has written many books, and has been mightily used by God.  I follow him on Instagram (timkellernyc), and this recent post spoke to me and sums up why we can trust God:

We can be sure our prayers are answered precisely in the way we would want them to be answered if we knew everything God knows.

Lord, you already know my heart's desire, but you long to spend time with me, and you long for me to share those desires with you.  Help me to ask, seek, and knock, and to trust that you will give me good things.  You love me no matter what I do, and I thank you for that love.  Amen.