Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV) - 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
This verse is fairly familiar to those who have been in and around those who read the Bible. It is a powerful illustration of God's desire to bring joy to our lives by helping us live up to our greatest potential.
But what do ask, seek, and knock mean for those who trust God?
I did a bit of research into the word origins and wanted to share a quick thought:
To Ask: When asking God, the word itself is simple enough - just ask. But when you look deeper at the word it also can mean to beg, to call for, to crave, to desire...It's more than just asking. So many people ask without a deeper desire to connect with God in the ask. Asking for anything on a whim will never get us closer to the God who answers.
Asking anything of God is not like asking mom for a quarter to put into the vending machine. Asking God is learning to connect with God, to find out how He desires to bless us, and then asking for His blessings. Simply asking is okay but if you ask without hope or belief, what are you really asking?
To Seek: Seeking is seeking but the deeper thought here is also an act of worship. It means to endeavor, to enquire (because enquiring minds want to...you know), or to be about. What are you seeking to become? What is your truest goal for life, for your finances, for your leadership, for your walk with God?
Seeking is more than looking for your car keys when you misplace them, though I have quoted this verse over and over when I have...Seeking is endeavoring to have a deeper knowledge of God through our interactions with Him, and in this search we find our paths align with His blessing and we find.
To Knock: To knock is to take one's hand and hit the object (usually a door) we have in front of us until we get the attention of the one on the other side. Simply put it is rapping (not musically) our knuckles against a solid object.
I think many people get stuck here. In fact, some will knock and walk away without an answer. Others will knock, knock louder, and then start pounding in hopes of gaining entry. The idea that many fail to see is that God opens to those who have truly come to the door to gain entry through Him and not of their own volition. God wants to get the credit because He is the one who opened the door. Too many doors have been opened for people who have turned around to said, "See what I just did." How many doors has God opened for you, and you did not give Him credit? How many doors have you walked away from because God did not answer in your timing or to your liking?
When you ask, seek, and knock this week, I hope this come to mind. How will you approach these opportunities today?
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