“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11 ESV)
Most fathers — conscientious, responsible, loving men — want to give the best possible gifts to their children. If the children ask, we fathers normally want to give them their requests. The normal tendency of a father is to respond favorably to his children.
According to Matthew, Jesus taught that God — our Father in heaven — is better at this attitude than we human fathers are. Therefore, we should ask because our request will be given to us. We should seek because He will give us the solution to our dilemma. We should knock because He will open the door of fellowship to us.
Our heavenly Father’s first response is yes. “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory” (2Cor. 1:20 ESV).
Recognizing our human weaknesses, if we know how to give good things to our children, how much greater is our heavenly Father’s knowledge and ability to give us our requests? He simply requires his children to ask, seek, and knock.
Dear Father, thank you for the good things you give to your children. Enable us to not only ask but to believe that we will receive what we ask for. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the Father’s good things,