“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 NIV
This verse is obviously a call to prayer. Jesus spent considerable time on prayer throughout His sermon on the Mount, including giving the Lord’s or Disciple’s Prayer, which is to be our pattern of prayer. It has often been said that prayer for us is like oxygen. We must constantly give ourselves to it. Paul taught that we should pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus does not tell us what to ask, seek, and knock for. Because of this, some have considered this prayer like a blank cheque. We can ask for anything, and if we have faith, we will receive it. But this does not recognize the context of Matthew 7:7ff. This text is given in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, after Jesus teaches about the great righteousness of God’s kingdom. He never promises us that we will be wealthy, healthy, and free from problems. If we pray for those things, we have no Scriptural assurances that God will answer our requests. We do have promises that if we pray for God’s will, which includes us developing righteous character, God will positively answer. Jesus’ promise of receiving when we ask, seek, and knock is true only when we are pursuing His will. If we truly hunger to get rid of sin in our lives, if we truly hunger to be used to share the gospel, if we truly hunger to have His peace, patience, love, and joy in our lives, He will give them to us. But He commands that we pray for them. Are we crying out for righteousness?
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord Jesus, we cry out for Your righteousness to be produced in us.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Thank You Lord Jesus, as we truly hunger to get rid of sin in our lives, to be used to share the gospel, to have Your peace, patience, love, and joy in our lives, You will give them to us. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Genesis 11:4-9
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