Ask, Seek, and Knock: What Are You Talking About?

Hello Friends,

how are you doing? Well, we have made it through an entire week of Spring. That’s right: the first day of Spring was over a week ago, and believe it or not Spring is making it’s presence known. The grass is turning greener, the trees are budding, the flowers are pushing their way up through the soil, the sun is rising earlier and setting later, there seems to be more and more storms, and baseball and softball practices are in full swing. There’s a whole new life outside our doors and windows that has been waiting to spring to life! How are you going to enjoy the Spring Season?

Setting the season aside, I want us to think about three words that Jesus tells his disciples. When teaching them how to pray, Jesus tells them to ask, seek, and knock. What does Jesus mean by these three words? Well, to help us understand what Jesus wants his disciples and us to learn, I need to ask you a question. How many of you have ever had a birthday? I’m not talking about having a birthday party. I only want to know how many of you have celebrated a birthday.

Wow, all of you have had birthdays! Well, what do you do when it’s getting close to your birthday? Do you decide what flavor of cake you want to eat? Do you decide what you want to eat or what restaurant you want to go to? Do you decide when you are going to celebrate your birthday? I’m sure some of you have decided these things, but there is also something else that I know all of you do before your birthday (because I know I did the same thing when I was your age). Do you ever ask your mom or your dad, or maybe your grandparents for something special that they could give your birthday, maybe a present What do you think you would like for your next birthday?

What if, instead of getting you those things that you wanted, your parents gave you a rock instead? Would you like that? Or what if, instead of giving you what you wanted, they gave you a snake? How would that be? Well, rocks and snakes are pretty cool, but they’re not as nice as the things you were asking for. It’s a good thing that your parents and grandparents give you nice things for presents, isn’t it?

And you know, God always gives us good things too. Jesus said that God will always give us good things. God gives us even better things than our parents do! Because God made us – He gave us life – and He gives us everything that we need to live and everything that we need to be happy. He gives us the chance to go to Heaven with Him and live forever when our life here on Earth is over.

Let’s return to those three words by reading Matthew 7:7-11: “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. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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!” These verses are talking about how God always gives us good things: he doesn’t give us rocks or snakes.

The first thing Jesus is saying is that if we ask, we will what? We will receive. That means that if we ask God for something, He’ll give it to us! Just remember that God doesn’t give us bad things. If we ask for something bad, or if we ask Him to do something bad to someone, He won’t do it. God only gives us good things, and He only does good things. If God doesn’t give us something, that means that it wouldn’t be the best thing for us. He wants to give us something better. So, if you ask, you will receive.

The next part says that if we seek, we will what? We will find. Have you ever seen a cartoon or a TV show or a movie where people are looking for treasure, and they’re on a treasure hunt? It’s kind of like that with God. Sometimes, He wants to give you something, but He hides it so that you can have the adventure of finding it. You can learn new things and have lots of fun looking for the things that God wants to give you. And God is always there to make sure you’re looking in the right direction. So, if you seek, you will find.

The last part of what Jesus says here is that if we knock, what will happen? The door will be opened. Have you ever walked up to somebody’s house and knocked on the door, but they didn’t answer? Maybe you wanted to visit your friend or something, and they weren’t home? That can be sad if we want to visit someone, but they’re not home, right? The great thing is that God is always home! He’s always right there, ready to open His door and talk to us whenever we want to talk to Him. All we have to do is pray, and God’s right there, ready to listen! So, if you knock on God’s door, He’ll always open it!

The point of all this is to realize that God is always going to do what He can to help you and make sure that you are able to live your best life! So, for your next birthday, what are you going to ask for, what are you looking to get, and what sort of boxes will be knocking on? Remember, God and Jesus are the best gifts we could ever get!

Let Us Pray: Father God, thank You for giving us all the good things that we need. Help us to ask You, to seek the things You have for us, and to knock on Your door through prayer. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Your Friend, Holy Spirit!