Day #311 - Ask, Seek, Knock

The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder

““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

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

What has been your most persistent pursuit?

Persistence is a very important trait to be successful in life and persistence is also important in developing maturity. I grew up playing a lot of sports and often whoever trains the hardest develops the most. Some people are gifted with unusual talent and genetics but as Coach Tim Notke said, “Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.” Stephen Curry has described himself as a basketball player that is not the strongest, tallest or the fastest. So why is he one of the best players? Because He is persistent in practicing probably more than anyone else who plays the game.

Jesus said in the context of teaching the disciples about who God is as Father in the Sermon on the Mount, that they should persist in prayer and in their pursuit of God. He said they should ask, seek and knock. The idea here is that whoever keeps on asking with be given to, whoever keeps on seeking will find and whoever keeps on knocking will have open doors.

As a pastor I see people give up quickly in the pursuit of God. Often Christians who pray for the Holy Spirit baptism will pray one or two times, maybe three. If they don’t receive a prayer language in a few minutes or after a few attempts, they resign that God does not intend to fill them. But I’ve seen others persist in asking, seeking and knocking sometimes for months and not give up. The ones who don’t give up but keep pursing “the Presence” in their Christian walk, whether its for Holy Spirit baptism or something else, amazingly receive the fruit of their persistence and God’s goodness.

Often Christians treat the Christian life like its a math equation that can be solved quickly for each need or promise. Or Christians can treat God like a cosmic vending machine. But the Bible likens life to a war and God to a Father who loves us unconditionally. If you try and treat war or relationship like you treat equations, you don’t usually get very far in either endeavor.

Don’t get me wrong, God does not play games with us, we can trust His promises. But He is teaching us here that we possess promises partially through asking, seeking and knocking (and of course by His grace and faithfulness ultimately). Don’t give up Christian in going after God in prayer and the things of “the Presence.” God may be forming maturity in You and has a purpose for you in pursuit of more of Him.

Lord Jesus, awaken in me a fresh hunger to ask, seek and knock until I receive, find and have open doors. Forgive me for where I have lost heart in Your promises. You have showed me a good picture of the Father and His heart to love me. Let me push past disappointment and persist in going after You wholeheartedly. In Your name Jesus, amen.