Ask, Seek and Knock!

(Matthew 7:7) “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: “

I am no model student, I never have been, and academics seemed to be a bore for me growing up. Sport on the other hand, was where it was at. I made it my business to walk to the tennis courts and to hit the ball for hours or when I learnt to play badminton for the first time, I seemed to get hooked and made every effort to play where possible. I could not have been older than twelve. Homework was something I detested! A misguided mind-set that it was boring and nerdy to be academic. But I am now convinced that whatever we truly seek out we will find. The rules of engagement have changed somewhat, as Christians we are given wonderful privileges, they are; ask and it will be given, seek and then we will find and finally knock and the door shall be opened.

However how will anything be given if we do not ask, how will we find if we do not seek and how will any particular door be opened if we do not knock? It is easy to get into a “rut”, bad habits form easily and then they are not so easy to break. We need to remind ourselves that we will only ever get one crack at life in these mortal bodies, when we breathe our last then the clock will be up. Eternity and all that lies ahead would have hinged on what we have done in our bodies and with the gift of salvation. How often have we asked and what is it we have asked for? What door do we keep knocking on and which door is opened? And finally whatever we seek out through life will be evident in what we put our hands too.

We now have a much higher calling than any other, as Christians we must learn to ask, seek and knock in every area of our lives. This will take sacrifice! We must learn to become solely dependent on God through His glorious Son, the Lord Jesus. I am so far from that goal in some areas of my life; I know I need to change! But unless I ask how will I receive? For the first time in my life I have an anxiety about money and the future, this is not how we have been instructed to live; “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6): - Do we see how this verse confirms my train of thought; ask, seek and knock!

What will I do with this bit of information? Will I continue be a hearer and not a doer or will I take it seriously and not be a man who has to be forced by circumstances into having to ask, seek and knock. Tribulation does bring about the necessity to cry out to God. It is obvious from the examples left us by the "Jewish Exodus", where Moses led them from Egypt into the Promised Land.

Even though we have Christ’s Spirit we have been instructed to ask, seek and knock! If we remain inactive we will be rendered ineffective. God help us to understand the importance of asking, seeking and knocking. Thank you for revealing these truths to my understanding this morning my great Father, please help me take them seriously. I do realise it may hurt and there may be rough times ahead, but if it makes me more like my glorious Saviour then it will be worth it all, Amen!

This then is the promise from our Saviour; “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Matthew 7:8)

We could take this text and then begin to get caught up with a particular reference to what it is actually teaching, let us not do that but rather draw from the principle it teachers. Our sole dependency must be on the finished work of Calvary and nothing else! This is the lesson of life we must eventually all learn.

Signing off

Tyrone