SOTM 34-Ask

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/som-34/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p><strong>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)</strong></p><p><strong>Three verbs</strong></p><ul><li><i>Ask</i>—suggests prayer—the most intimate verb of the three.</li><li><i>Seek</i>—entails focus and purpose, in the spirit of <strong>Matt 6:33</strong>.</li><li><i>Knock</i>—suggests observation and persistence—especially when it seems the Lord is on the other side of the door.</li></ul><p><strong>Persistence?</strong></p><ul><li>This doesn't seem to be the point of this passage, though it may be implied (“knocking”).</li><li>Consider the persistent widow (<strong>Luke 18:1-8</strong>).</li><li>Also take into account Paul’s prayer (<strong>2 Cor 12:9</strong>); was it "persistent"?</li></ul><p><strong>How God answers prayer</strong></p><ul><li>With an audible voice? Probably not. Such is extremely rare in biblical history.</li><li>Rather, he interacts with us in these three ways:<ul><li>He gives to us.</li><li>He helps us to find.</li><li>He opens doors.</li></ul></li></ul><p><strong>An interesting patristic interpretation</strong></p><ul><li>Even when we're sincere and persistent in prayer, we may not receive—because we're asking for the wrong things.</li><li><i>Chrysostom:</i> “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 ar