Ask! Seek! Knock! - More on Matthew 7

Hi friends. Good to see you again! January is the perfect time for me to write away since it's far too dreary to leave my house. As you might have seen, I gave my blog a little cosmetic update. It was much needed and I wanted to give it more of a professional feel. I feel so happier with how it looks and I hope y'all like it!

I thought I would hop back on here to share more of my thoughts on the next portion of Matthew 7. The goodness in this chapter has just consumed my thoughts as of late. There's so much to study and soak in! After Jesus preaches on not judging others, he teaches on a topic that I love. This topic is, "Ask, Seek, Knock." Let's read the Scripture,

Matthew 7:7-12 "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, for everyone who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them - this is the Law and the Prophets."

Time to break it down! (Not, like, dancing. Break down the words. Though if you feel the sudden need to dance now, that is fine too.)

Verse 7:  "Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Sometimes in this life we can get so stuck in the world and wrapped up in all the possibilities of what we can do, that we forget to ask God what He can do. This is the message that Jesus is trying to get across to us here - and y'all, I need this message so bad. A new popular thing in our current culture is the power of "me." What can we do for ourselves? How can we be strong fighters, all on our own, without anyone's help. See though, this is not the message of God. God definitely wants us to be strong people... but He wants us to be strong in Him. Not by our own strength.

Verse 8: "For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened." God wants us to ask for help. He wants us to need Him. Sometimes we tend to get frustrated with God or maybe just life because we don't get what we want. But are you straight up asking God? Seriously! Go to God and ask Him for the desires of your heart. Maybe He will give you what you've been wanting (if it's best for you and in His will.)

Verse 9: "What man among you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?" Remember how in the last blog post we talked about how Jesus loves parables? Well, here's another one! Basically here He is trying to ask us, "Would you, despite being a sinful human, give your child a rock if he asks for something to eat?" And then He says...

Verse 10: "Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?"

Verse 11: "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him!" Again He's saying, "You're a human who isn't perfect, but you're not going to give your child something that will hurt him instead of help him! Don't you think I, the perfect God, will not treat you the same way... better, even?" Trust God to be a good Father. He's the best Father!

Verse 12: "Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them - this is the Law and the Prophets." Ah, the golden rule! Treat others how you want to be treated. (Even if they don't do the same!)

This year, let's learn to respond to the Father with action. He's our Father... so He wants a relationship with us. Are we going to put forth the effort to have a relationship with Him? Relationships take effort from both sides. Also, it is a great privilege to respond! How awesome is it that we get to have a relationship with the God who created the heavens and the earth? When we have that relationship with him, then we get to rest in the goodness of our Father knows best.

I hope y'all are powering through this cold winter season well and enjoying all of the snuggly moments inside! I'll see you soon!