Ask... Seek... Knock

2009-02-10

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells his listeners to ask God and he will provide. This is in light of what was just said: that God knows our basic needs and will provide them, i.e. food and clothing. Knowing this, I feel that I need to apply two truths.

First, ask great things. Not that we should skip praying for mundane things, but we should also pray about things we know God wants--that we serve people well, walking with Christ that we may reflect him. Praying for others is important, that they would also walk with God. But when we pray, we are cognizant of God cutting through the words we say, looking at the motives of our hearts. I think God answers prayers based on the heart, not so much our words, as was also seen in Matthew 6.

So secondly, we need to know that prayer is a state of the heart, that God knows our true legitimate longings and answers according to them. Most things, after the basic necessities of food, water, and clothing, he points us back to our primary necessity--peace with God through the risen Jesus Christ, for our most crucial longing is fulfilled in him.