”“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
Matthew 7:7New International Version (NIV)
Matthew 7:7 Devotional
Ask and it will be given to you
“ASK and it shall be given to you” (Matthew 7:7) is a fundamental truth of the man-God or child-father relationship. That is, asking for things is part and parcel of the man-God or child-father relationship.
Prayers
Therefore, asking points to the prayers of them that are in a relationship with a father figure in their lives. And in our case, God is the Father. This is because you are the child, and God is the (your) Father.
Moreover, asking is simply expressing your need or desire to God. And receiving is God’s answer or response to your prayers, especially when you pray in faith (Mark 11:24 or Matthew 21:22) and you persist (Luke 18:1-8) when the situation calls for persistence.
Good answers
Therefore, Matthew reveals to us that asking, seeking, and knocking avails answers to us in the form of good things (good answers). And this is the nature of the child-father relationship – fathers always give good gifts to their children (Matthew 7:9-11).
A very good example is the Parable of the Prodigal Son which is recorded in Luke 15:11-32. The Prodigal Son is recorded to have asked his father for his inheritance, and his father gave him his share.
Consequently, when we ask God for bad/harmful things, then our Father will deny us the same. In essence, this will be in line with the nature of fathers giving us good things, for they know what is good for us.
Knowledge of the father’s will
Interestingly, a child always knows his/her father’s stand on the thing he/she has asked (prayed) for. Some, audaciously, ask knowing full well that what they are asking for will not be given to them – it’s like they’re being cheeky, or hoping that his/her father will give them what he/she has asked for, knowing too well that it’s for no good.
Moreover, when the Prodigal Son asked for his share of the inheritance, he was asking for something that was his right. Therefore, he asked according to the will of his fathers – fathers were obligated to leave their children an inheritance. And his father answered him swiftly.
Additionally, John, in chapter 16 verse 24, reveals that when you ask, “your joy will be complete”. Remember, God will give you good things. And the good things will add joy to your life.
Therefore, we need minds that are transformed so that we can ask for good things (Romans 12:2). These are the ones that are according to God’s “good, pleasing, and perfect will”. And God only answers to that which is in His will – this is the key to answered prayers.
Prayer
Thank You, Lord, for your wonderful promise which declares that I will receive when I ask. Help me ask according to your will. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, Amen.
Blessing
May you give God thanks today, for His wonderful promise to you. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
1 John 4-5 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
