SOTM 34-Ask

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 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)Three verbsAsk—suggests prayer—the most intimate verb of the three.Seek—entails focus and purpose, in the spirit of Matt 6:33.Knock—suggests observation and persistence—especially when it seems the Lord is on the other side of the door.Persistence?This doesn't seem to be the point of this passage, though it may be implied (“knocking”).Consider the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8).Also take into account Paul’s prayer (2 Cor 12:9); was it "persistent"?How God answers prayerWith an audible voice? Probably not. Such is extremely rare in biblical history.Rather, he interacts with us in these three ways:He gives to us.He helps us to find.He opens doors.An interesting patristic interpretationEven when we're sincere and persistent in prayer, we may not receive—because we're asking for the wrong things.Chrysostom: “Jesus asks, ‘For which of you who is a father, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he give him a stone?’ Accordingly, if you do not receive, the reason is that you have asked for a stone. For though you are a son, this does not suffice for your receiving. Instead, this very thing hinders your receiving. For being a son, you ask for what is not profitable. Therefore, do not ask for anything worldly, but for things that are spiritual, and you will surely receive.” Homilies on Matthew 23.5.Clement: “If it is beneficial, he will receive it at once. If it is injurious, he will never ask for it.” ANF 2.544Chrysostom: “Now you see that two things are needed for effective prayer: asking earnestly and asking for what we should. Jesus says in effect, ‘Although you are fathers, you wait for your sons to ask. And if they should ask of you anything unprofitable, you refuse the gifts. Likewise, if it is profitable, you consent and bestow it.’” Homilies on Matthew 23.5.(While I am not personally convinced by this take on Matt 7:7-11, it is interesting, and worth considering.)“Though you are evil” Jesus notes that we fallen humans are evil (7:11).Of course, we don’t want evil people giving gifts to our children. But then Jesus is referring to something else.Our holiness falls far, far short of divine perfection—and yet we give our children gifts.Knowing our heavenly Father’s character, we should rest assured in his goodness.Next: Gold