September 3
The Call to
Ask, Seek, Knock
Matthew 7:7-8
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.
Daily Steps
Having learned the practical aspects of a wise life, the new believer must now return to the most essential spiritual discipline: prayer. This passage from Jesus provides the simple, powerful, and repeated assurance that God desires and commands our communication: Ask and it will be given to you.
The peace in this principle is found in confident access:
The Threefold Command: Jesus uses three action verbs to describe the discipline of prayer: Ask, Seek, and Knock. These are not separate actions, but describe increasing degrees of intensity and diligence (Day 241) in persistence:
Ask: Simple, direct request (The Blessing of Giving, Day 243).
Seek: Intentional pursuit and focus (The Final Triumph, Day 227).
Knock: Persistent, consistent effort (The Final Command, Day 215).
The Guaranteed Response: The promise is repeated and absolute for everyone who asks: they receives, finds, and the door will be opened. This eliminates the fear that our prayers are unheard or ignored. God guarantees a response to our persistent, faithful communication (The Assurance of the Amen, Day 230).
The Result is Boldness: This assurance secures boldness in the believer’s approach to God (The Great High Priest, Day 202). We are encouraged to approach Him with complete confidence and simplicity, knowing that the foundation of our peace rests on a relationship where our Heavenly Father is ready and willing to answer.
Your peace is secured by confident access. Embrace the essential practice of prayer today by asking, seeking, and knocking, knowing that God guarantees that your persistent communication will be met with a perfect response.
Reflective Question
Which of the three actions—Ask, Seek, or Knock—do you find the hardest to maintain in your prayer life? What specific desire in your heart do you need to begin asking, seeking, and knocking for with renewed persistence today?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the clear command and certain promise of this prayer. I confess my lack of persistence. I pray for the diligence and faith to ask directly, to seek Your presence intently, and to knock persistently.
Secure my peace today in the knowledge that everyone who asks receives, and that You are a loving Father who desires to answer my prayers. Amen.
