A Question About Asking
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
—Matthew 7:7 ESV
Matthew 7:7 has become a recurring verse for abiding daily. I find that the odd simplicity of Jesus’s words here always catches my attention. I’m caught between two thoughts. On one hand, I obviously know that being a Christian does not mean I can ask for anything and just receive it. On the other, I have seen over and over how God provided for his people just because they asked.
This tension is one of many tensions that I believe we are called to carry as believers. Truth and love, justice and mercy, surrender and discipline. Kris Vallotton was the first person to describe this for me. In one of his messages, he opened my heart to the idea of carrying truth in tension. There’s grey in the kingdom of God, not relating to God’s character or the severity of sin, but often about how God’s promises unfold in our lives.
Of course, there are many things that Jesus defines in black and white, like loving the Lord and loving others. Still, if you want to get a sense of the submersive tension embedded in the message of Jesus, just read the beatitudes in Matthew 5.
All this to say, I am wondering how we respond to verses like Matthew 7:7. How do we increasingly live a life of asking and receiving while not losing sight of the kingdom of God, his values, and his mission? Admittedly, we all have a few things that come to mind that we wish to ask for that are pure self-interest. We might think that God only wants us to bring the most important requests to him. Then again, I have asked God for houses, instruments, and vehicles, and he has provided material needs… even wants… again and again. If I read the gospels I can see that Jesus describes our Heavenly Father as a generous God that loves to give good gifts to his kids.
God comes to our aid when we ask for help in a situation of need, but I think his heart is joyful when we ask him for the things we enjoy as well. What matters is that we ask. No dad ever wants their kid to stop asking them for help!
I find that the tension of God’s kingdom becomes more manageable when it’s built on the foundation of relationship and abiding. Here the mysteries of the gospel and the ways of the Spirit shift from potentially confusing concepts to inexplicable realities—like the wonders of nature.
A Matthew 7:7 lifestyle grows from a deep root of love for Jesus. Paul talks about this in Colossians 2:6-7 ESV, saying, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” When we fix our energy on living our life in Christ-like this, the true meaning of asking and receiving becomes clear.
Jesus’s message is a message of hope and promise, not a guarantee of endless jackpots. The invitation is for us to discover God’s goodness and faithfulness in the seeking. How will you live a life of asking today?
