“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.”   Matthew 7:7‭-‬8 NIV

Who said this?  Jesus Christ. The person God sent to give us the best way of knowing God. And the simplicity of these statements and their balance tell us something about him. There is nothing hidden here. There is no need to look beneath the surface. There is no reason to misunderstand. The speech is straightforward and clear.

And the words are repeated in a different way to assure us that we heard it right. So, we can accept them without any doubt.

Ask and it will be given to you. There is only to admit need. He says ‘ask’, not beg, not petition, nothing but a simple request is required. 

What else is required? Only what is always required, believe in the power and goodness of God. Believe that God can and will give the good that you ask for. Jesus wants to fill us with confidence when we ask. He does not say “may be given” or “might be given”  but says, “will be given”.

And the words “to you” have intimacy in them. You ask God and he gives to you. It is between you and God. Your asking is heard by him and he responds to you directly. No one stands between you. There is no go-between in this relation of you and God. No one carries your message to God. He hears you.

Now what you ask for is not qualified. But we ask God. Let our asking be worthy of him. Let us not ask small. And let our asking be worthy of us as well. Let us ask our benefactor who has given us so much already, for something that is good, not something that will diminish us.

God can only give good and perfect gifts that are without repentance. Consider who we ask. Is it something another could give you? Is it a test request? If he gives me this, then I will ask my real request. No, ask with abandon. Ask with confidence. Did we not hear him? Ask wholeheartedly. Ask from your heart to God’s heart.

Listen to him repeat: Everyone who asks, receives. Do not doubt his goodness. To doubt his goodness is to doubt his Godness. And don’t qualify your request. Don’t include how or where or under what circumstances. Ask freely and trust him to answer you as he will.

But what if you want something that is not so easy to simply request? What if it is deeper? What if it will take something more from you? Seek. Yes, seek. Take on your quest. Begin with confidence. Seek and you will find. Be patient and don’t give up. Be cheerful and confident as you seek.

But what if there is an obstacle? What if the way is blocked? What if the door is closed? Don’t walk away. Knock. Is the door heavy? Does it seem very solid? Does it seem impossible to open? Knock and it will be opened. Be patient and expectant like God was while waiting for you to open your heart to him.

A closed door is forbidding. It may look like it will never open. But is there something good beyond this door? Then it will be opened. He did not say open the door yourself.  He said the door will be opened. The opening will be done by one able to open it. It will not be broken down but opened.

Every good gift comes from God. Your answer will be good. Your seeking will result in finding good. And when the door opens, you will not be disappointed. God cannot give bad gifts.

Look at what he has given. After thousands of years, his gifts continue to do good. An apple tree gives apples. Water quenches thirst.  He is thoughtful and wise. He wants to be asked by you. He wants you to have good. He wants to give you all good things.

Why don’t some have? Because they ask not. Or they ask small. They ask for so little from God. They don’t see his great heart. They ask like the prodigal. What the prodigal asked from his father was unworthy of him and his father. He asked too little. He asked too small. Let us ask large of our Father. Let us ask him for something great that continues, and not like the prodigal for something limited as if we wrested it from a reluctant giver. 

Ask like a son from a great Father. You will receive good from him.

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