By: Juliet Constantine

“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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If you then, being 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 NKJV)
 

As the population increases without similar increases in productivity and resources, economies have become depressed and people are becoming more in need every day. It is true, the rich have become richer and the poor have indeed become poorer. It seems we have more askers (beggars) today than we did a decade ago. They are everywhere.

They come in the form of the windscreen wipers, the charity houses, our brethren at church, various needy projects (such as street-side solicitors asking for help with medical expenses), and sometimes you and /or me. There are church pastors who encourage you to give more, and then you’re to name your blessing, claim it and frame it. Many people who once had more disposable income to go around – even to help the needy – have themselves become needy and in need of help. But many refuse to join the line of askers, for whatever reasons, and are instead suffering in silence.

In continuing His Sermon on the Mount of Olives, Jesus encourages His listeners to ask; and if asking wasn’t producing the desired result, they were to seek and knock. The real meaning behind His words was not just to ask but to keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking until your need is met. Many times those with needs become discouraged when a few attempts don’t produce the desired results. And so, we stopped asking, we stopped seeking, and we stopped knocking.

But His words came with a promise – you will receive. In His three instructions to ask, seek, and knock: Jesus said “it will … you will …it will…”! We are thrice assured that it will be done. We will receive. So, if the first or subsequent attempts failed, let’s keep on trying. We will receive. But hold on, there is a subtle truth that many tend to overlook.

In asking, the ‘who’ you’re asking is very important. In encouraging His listeners to ask for help, He wasn’t sending them to ask any and everybody. No sir. He gave a clear hint to whom our request should be directed. In contrasting the responses of both an earthly parent and our Heavenly Father, Jesus said that earthly parents “being evil, know how to give good gifts to [their] children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” So, our requests are to be first directed to our Heavenly Father. He will then direct others to assist. His resources are limitless. The cattle upon a thousand hills are His. He will supply our needs.

Finally, a child’s request to his/her earthly parent is done in faith. Likewise, we are to ask in faith, believing that God can and that He will. Let us not doubt His ability or His willingness to relieve our depressed condition. He is ready and able to do far more than any government or president. He is more willing to give to us that which we are to ask of Him. Let’s ask in faith. We will receive.

Oh my Father, we stand in need of Your material and spiritual blessings now. According to Your riches in glory and according to Jesus’ promise, please open the windows of Heaven and bless us abundantly to take care of our needs and to share with the needy. More so Father, please grant us Your Holy Spirit who will teach and guide us. We ask all these things in Jesus’ name, amen.

Copyrighted by Juliet Constantine 2014 (for “Alone With God – Finding Jesus In The Scriptures” Daily Devotional)