A.S.K.

FROM ASKING TO ACCESS

In Matthew 7:7-8 – Jesus’s sermon on the Mount invites us to ask, seek, and knock.  These three actions form the anacronym to A.S.K.  Jesus states in verse 7: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” The fulfilment in verse 8 states: “For everyone who ask receives; and the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”  This verse emphasizes the importance of persistence in prayer, by activating our faith - in knowing that God hears and responds to those who truly humbly seek Him.

We are encouraged through this spiritual prayer to rely on God as our loving Father, who provides for each one of our needs and even our desires.  If this is true, and it is, then what is preventing us from receiving, finding or gaining access to those needs or desires?

This spiritual teaching reminds us that God is faithful -not only to hear our prayers but to respond to them.  He looks at the condition of the hearts, because the posture of our hearts can shape and influence how we receive what he gives.

When asking, Jesus says, “Ask, and it will be given to you.” He invites us to come before God with honesty and openness. But what exactly are we asking for? Are our requests aligned with God’s will? What is the posture of our heart as we bring our needs before Him?

When asking, it is more than presenting a list of desires.  It is an outworking of our expression of dependence and trust in God.  When we ask, we acknowledge that God is our ultimate source of every good gift, that we cannot accomplish on our own.  Jesus encourages us to communicate our needs, desires and worries before him, without fear or pretence.

Jesus invites us to be specific through our prayers of asking. God cares about every detail of our lives, the longings, and the unspoken burdens, and the quiet hopes we carry.  Asking is an intimate act that opens our hearts to God, and invites Him to move in ways that shape, refine, and align us more closely to His will.

God already knows our needs before we even ask.  We are not informing Him of something that he doesn’t already know.  Rather we are positioning ourselves to receive, listen and to be shaped by His wisdom and love.

I recently went through a house extension and conversation.  In the midst of the planning and building, I carried quiet desires within my heart: a long entrance hall, a balcony and a window seat.  These weren’t just architecture features; they were the little dreams I hoped God would fulfil.  One of the main features that was a hidden desire of mine was the downstairs window seat.  I remembered at the time when the conversion had been completed, I started to cry because this was a tangible reminder that God not only heard the deep hidden longings of my heart’s desire, but also, He delights in bringing them to fruition in His perfect timing.  Thank you, Jesus!

When we ask Jesus to answer our prayers, we should always be thankful- both before and after He responds. Gratitude is the key that unlocks possibilities and keeps our hearts soft and reminds us that Jesus is the One who hears our requests and delights in giving us the desires of our hearts.

It is always wise to be very specific in the things that we ask for.  If we are not, we might be surprised in what we receive! A friend of ours prayed for a pair of shoes but gave no description, no colour, and no detail -just “shoes.” Well, the prayer was answered…. but he ended up with a bright green pair.  I’ll leave that with you!

Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do,

that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

If you ask me anything in my name,

I will do it.

(John 14:13-14)

The next invitation Jesus gives us is to Seek. But what are we seeking?  Seeking goes beyond asking.  It reflects an active pursuit a longing to discover God’s will, wisdom, and guidance.  Seeking requires us to move and calls us to grow, to trust, to align our hearts with God’s desires for us. 

Sometimes we can find ourselves out of our depth unsure of which way to turn. In Proverbs 11:14 states, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.”  Seeking God often includes seeking godly people around us. Engaging and connecting with a community of believers can provide clarity, encouragement and insight that we do not see on our own.  We are never alone when we are part of God’s kingdom and family.

Throughout the Bible, God’s Word emphasizes the importance of seeking His will.  Jesus makes this clear in Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” What does this mean? We are called to prioritize God’s kingdom in every area, sphere of our lives.  It is not about placing Him on our to-do lists, but rather, making Him central to every decision, desire, and direction we take. It is choosing His way over our way. This enables us to shift our focus from worry, pressure and earthly nonsense to pursue God’s purpose over our lives each day.  In doing so, Jesus assures us that “all these things” the things we need will be given to us in His perfect timing.

The next invitation Jesus gives us is to Knock – to pursue God with faith-filled persistent prayer. When someone arrives at our front door, they don’t’ usually knock once and walk away. They keep knocking because they expect someone to answers. 

In the same way Jesus invites us to be persistent in our knocking -to approach God with boldness and unwavering trust.  Knocking paints a picture of someone who refuses to give up. Believing that what is behind the door is exactly what they need. This persistence is not about forcing or pounding the door open through impatience, but rather knocking with anticipation, hope, and faith, that waits for the person on the other side to open the door in its perfect timing.  We wait for Jesus to open the other door because His opening is always an invitation to receive what He has prepared for us. Amen!

Through the examples of Jesus, Jesus teaches and encourages us not to pray once and walk away, but to ask repeatedly, to seek diligently, and to knock persistently.  This passage on asking, seeking and knocking reassures us that our heavenly Father truly hears our prayers and responds to sincere heartfelt prayers.  We can be confident that God not only listens and cares but also answers in His perfect way and orchestrated [Kairos] timing.

We can trust with inner confidence God’s goodness, knowing that He gives us what is truly best.  He opens the right door, and He answers our prayers with wisdom and love.  Our part is to trust in His timing in His beautiful way.

When Jesus speaks of asking, seeking and knocking, it is not only about requesting things from Him. Rather, describes a deeper fellowship and a journey that draws us closer to God. 

How do we get closer to God?

Psalm 100 encourages us to “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.” This is a divine invitation to walk with God and to grow spiritually in a natural living way.  Faith helps us to step forward through prayer, obedience, persistence and expectation. God honours and delights in those who move towards Him in faith.

In conclusion, this is not a call for a passive heart. Asking through conversation, seeking through discovery, and knock through deeper fellowship, must come from a posture of faith and thankfulness -an active acceptance of God’s invitation to walk with Him and grow spiritually. 

Asking through conversation,

seeking through discovery,

and knock through deeper fellowship.

In the New Testament, in John 6: 1-12, Jesus openly displays a beautiful act of thanksgiving.  A large crowd had followed him there in the region of Galilee, because they had witnessed the amazing and miraculous signs and wonders Jesus was doing for the sick.  Jesus said to one of his disciples, Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, for these people to eat?” Jesus was testing Philips faith, for Jesus knew himself what he would do. Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother) said to Jesus, “There is a boy here who has 5 loaves and two fish.”  Jesus took the loaves and fish; he raised the basket towards heaven and gave thanks.  This is a simple but profound moment, that Jesus gives thanks for a miracle that was about to happen.

What can we learn about thanksgiving?

Firstly, thanksgiving precedes multiplication.  Jesus did not look at the impossibilities that was before him but gave thanks for what is available.  Thanksgiving opens before us the way for God to work.  Our gratitude invites His abundance in our insufficiency or lack.

Secondly, having a thankful heart shifts our focus from scarcity to the source.  Philip focused on the problem not the solution.  Jesus focused on His father and lifted the basket towards Heaven.  Thanksgiving lifts our eyes from what we don’t have, to the one source who can provide (Manna from Heaven). This shifts our heart towards faith instead of worry or lack.

Thirdly, picture this: the crowd was enormous – more than 5,000 people gathered, listening intently to Jesus.  Even in the scarcity of our needs, Jesus can supply. Thanksgiving is not rooted in the circumstances we find ourselves in or in the challenges that stand before us, but to trust in the One who gives because of His unchanging character and His ability to act far beyond what our natural eyes can see.

Fourthly, to give thanks in the ordinary for the outcome to become extraordinary.  In our everyday needs (five loaves, two fish), the ordinary becomes the miraculous.  God can use what we surrender in faith, just like Jesus who surrendered the basket of loaves and fish towards Heaven.

Lastly, from lack to overflow.  In verse 12, Jesus told his disciples to pick up the leftovers after the people had their fill.  Jesus told them to gather the leftover pieces, ensuring that nothing was left.  God does not only meet our needs, but He often exceeds them so that his goodness can overflow into the lives of others. 

Could we suppose that when Jesus asked the disciples to gather the leftovers, and they filled twelve baskets, that these baskets might have been intended for the twelve disciples? Scripture does not tell us this, but the detail mentions: twelve disciples, twelve baskets (this invites us to reflect). Gratitude is connected to overflow and multiplications.

With all that said, let us bring our asking, seeking, and knocking before God with humble hearts.  Let us enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Giving thanks to Him (Psalm 100:4).  May we pursue Him with our whole being.  Seeking His presence above every answer.  As we persist, may we trust in His perfect timing -that He will open the doors He has prepared for us.  May we rest in God’s goodness which continually flows from his heart and let that goodness stirs in us a spirit of thankfulness as we ask, seek and knock!

Let’s pray….

Heavenly Father,

I come before you with an open heart.

You invite me to ask, seek and knock.

I ask for wisdom when I am uncertain,

for strength when I feel tired,

for peace when my soul feels restless.

Teach me to ask the right questions.

Teach me to seek with a pure motive.

Teach me to knock with a posture of persistence.

Help me to wait for your timing,

to trust when I cannot yet see,

to remember that your love is always near,

and to thank you in all things,

when I ask, seek or knock.

Amen!

 (You can now follow SUSO on.... Instagram)