Ask, Seek, Knock

Matthew 7: 7-14 (NIV):“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! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

God is a loving Father who knows what we need even before we do. He goes before us, Psalm 139 says. He is not in the business of letting us down, disappointing us or coming up short in his answers. He is a God of more than enough.

But Jesus makes it clear that we need to tell him our needs. Jesus would ask people what they wanted, even if it seemed obvious. He asked Bartimaeus what he could do for him – as he stood there blind in front of him (Mark 10:51). Jesus knew exactly what he really needed, but wanted Bartimaeus to say it. He wanted him to confess it. Bartimaeus could have asked for some money and sold himself short. Don’t sell yourself short! Show faith and tell Jesus what you need.

Ask, Seek, Knock makes an interesting acrostic, by the way: ASK. (This makes it easy to remember.)

This passage ends with a warning though: Most people do not find Jesus. Most people do not go to heaven. This is sad, but it is the reality that Jesus tells us plainly here. Why would God create so many people who reject him and end up in hell? Because he wants us to trust him. He can’t force us to be saved without removing our choice in the matter – without removing our faith. He didn’t create puppets or pets, but children. We’re children with free will. Love must be freely given or it is not love. God wants us to choose to love him. Trust is the same way, we must choose to trust him or it is not trust.

God knows only a few of us will enter through the narrow door, but that is the price he pays for inviting everyone into his Kingdom and allowing us to make the choice for ourselves. There is no other option.

Go against the crowd and find the narrow door. That door’s name is Jesus.