Matthew 7:7-12 – Do You Want God?

When I was younger, I used to think that asking, knocking, and seeking meant that I could ask for things and get them, knock on the doors of opportunity and things would be made available, and seek out the lost things and find them. I found a lot of things that way. The problem with the lack of maturity is having the knowledge to fully understand this passage.

With maturity (along with a lot of study) comes understanding. I had not looked at the words ask, knock, and seek before. I know now, that this passage deals with how we should be praying as well as how our prayers are directly affect by how we treat others.

The word for ask can also be used for craving, calling, desire, or even request. To ask and have something given seems to be a very juvenile term but when you are talking about approaching the eternal and powerful Almighty God, most were afraid to ask. Sometimes, we do not think we are worthy but Jesus is saying to ask and receive. “For what do we ask” should be the real question. I will answer this in a moment.

The word seek gives more clues. This word comes to mean seeking God in worship or endeavoring to know God more. To seek and find means the more we seek to know God the more we find. The more we endeavor to be more like Jesus the more we understand. God is not hidden from us. Sin, however, hides us (or pushes us away) from God. God is not inaccessible; He never has been. Sin convinces us that we are not worthy of God and thus we need to seek other things in life. Jesus is challenging that view.

The word knock means knock. The problem a lot of people have in trying to meet new people or introduce themselves to new neighbors is actually taking the time to go up to their door and knock. To knock means we have to engage God by approaching Him. He has already made every effort to approach us and to remove obstacles that keep us from approaching Him. Jesus would remove the final obstacle – the power sin had over life. Knocking puts the ball in our court. We must take the steps toward God.

Asking, seeking, and knocking are also persistent actions. Is God worth getting to know? Do we want God – in our lives? Jesus says be persistent. God is listening; He just doesn’t want us to be halfhearted in our attempt to approach Him. He wants us to approach Him as people who really want Him. In other words, we have to be real with God before He is real with us.

So for what do was ask, seek, and knock? Well Jesus gives us the answer in verse 11:

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 (NIV)

These gifts are not like the gifts we get under the tree, and they are not unlimited resources. These gifts are the gifts of the Spirit. They are the fullness of the fruit of the Spirit. They are truth and understanding. They are also wisdom and knowledge. God is unlimited to how He gives to us. Some may receive great wealth but only because God can trust them to give it away responsibly. Some may receive great leadership responsibility but only because God gifts them to care responsibly for His people.

Remember, Jesus has already said we will not hunger or thirst or need clothes because God takes care of those things (Matthew 6:25-34). Jesus tells us to seek first the kingdom of God. Can we pray for financial security? Sure. Can we pry for good health? Absolutely. But until our hearts are right with God and towards others, we flounder in our attempts to move the heart of God.

God wants to give us our hearts desire. He wants to provide for us. Our acceptance of this gift remains in our ability to prioritize our lives. But listen to the note from the Life Application Bible:

If sinful people would not think of giving a child a stone that looked like a loaf of bread or a dangerous snake instead of a fish, then how much more will a holy God acknowledge and answer our requests? In these words, Jesus revealed the heart of God the Father. God is not selfish, begrudging, or stingy; his followers don’t have to beg or grovel when they come with their requests. He is a loving Father who understands, cares, comforts, and willingly gives good gifts to those who ask him. If humans can be kind, imagine how kind God can be.—Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

How do we know we are becoming right with God? When we treat others the way we want to be treated. What is the standard? Kindness in everything. All the Law and the Prophets are summed up in verse 12. God has for thousands of generations been trying to get man to act with kindness, to act according to the very image in which they were created. God, the Father, is melting down His teachings into one simple concept – treat each other with kindness.

There must be reasonable kindness on our part. We cannot expect people to act outside of their abilities. We must understand who they are in order to understand what they are capable of doing. Our responsibility is to make sure we act in kindness in a manner that honors God and does not manipulate others. Anyone can be kind, but not anyone can initiate kindness. Where do you stand?

• How hard is it to initiate kindness?
• What are your thoughts about the words ask, seek, and knock? What do they mean to you?
• How have you experience the kindness of God?
• Have you ever found yourself halfheartedly praying to God? Did you expect Him to answer or were you just not certain how else to proceed?
• How do you view prayer now?