ASK,SEEK, AND KNOCK!
MERRY MONDAY BY PARRIS BAILEY-
“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matt. 7:7,8
We all have seen them, the homeless around the city. Of late, Frank and I have seen this young girl standing by the street holding a card asking for help. Your mind can’t help but wonder “what got her there?” I love the fact that I can roll down the window and talk to her about getting her into Marysong Restoration Center. (they don’t always appreciate that of course). But nevertheless she is persistent with her need. Jesus talked about this persistence when it came to prayer. Matthew Henry said, “He would have to be “Pray; pray often; pray with sincerity and seriousness; pray, and pray again; make conscience of prayer, and be constant in it; make a business of prayer, and be earnest in it. Ask, as a beggar asks alms. Those that would be rich in grace, must betake themselves to the poor trade of begging, and they shall find it a thriving trade. Ask; represent your wants and burdens to God, and refer yourselves to him for support and supply, according to his promise. Seek, as for a thing of value that we have lost, or as the merchantman that seeks goodly pearls. Knock, as he that desires to enter into the house knocks at the door.”
Thank God we can, like beggars, continue to ASK, SEEK, AND KNOCK. In other-words, it isn’t over “till the fat lady sings”. Henry goes on to say: “We must not only ask but seek; we must second our prayers with our endeavors; we must, in the use of the appointed means, seek for that which we ask for, else we tempt God. When the dresser of the vineyard asked for a year’s respite for the barren fig-tree, he added, I will dig about it, Luke xiii. 7, 8. God gives knowledge and grace to those that search the scriptures, and wait at Wisdom’s gates; and power against sin to those that avoid the occasions of it. We must not only ask, but knock; we must come to God’s door, must ask importunately; not only pray, but plead and wrestle with God; we must seek diligently; we must continue knocking; must persevere in prayer, and in the use of means; must endure to the end in the duty.”
Most of us find ourselves getting “antsy” when we feel God has turned a deaf ear. The word of God will work for us! Let’s read on, “The promise is made, and made so as exactly to answer the precept, Ask, and it shall be given you; not lent you, not sold you, but given you; and what is more free than gift? Whatever you pray for, according to the promise, whatever you ask, shall be given you. Seek, and ye shall find, and then you do not lose your labour; God is himself found of those that seek him, and if we find him we have enough. Knock, and it shall be opened; the door of mercy and grace shall no longer be shut against you as enemies and intruders, but opened to you as friends and children.”