Jesus on Persistent Prayer (Matthew 7:7-11)

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 7:8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 7:9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 7:10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

Matthew 7:7-11

1. Persistence in Prayer

What kind of prayers do we make in private? Jesus encouraged us to ask, seek and knock. This is a progression of intensity in prayer. We ought to humbly keep on asking God for our needs or wants. The only qualifier is that they be good things. We ought to also keep on seeking God by running after him and also looking to do whatever we can. For instance, if we are looking for work, pray persistently about it, but also do our part to seek employment.

What's in it for you? The kind of prayer that Jesus encouraged is also like knocking on a door. So, keep knocking. That implies that our prayers ought to be persistent. It is not that God is hard of hearing, but that he wants us to learn not to be quitters, but relentlessly pursuing his kingdom.

2. Food and Other Good Things

Which of us if our children asked for good food, would just give them a stone to eat? Among the best gifts we can give our children are the daily provision of quality food. In a consumer driven economy, we may be tempted to think that the only good gifts are expensive consumer toys that the market has conned us all into lusting after.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was quite clear in comparing the daily provision of quality food to good gifts. Jesus promises that if we pray for good gifts, God will provide. Although he specifically describes family food items such as bread and fish, the possibility of other good gifts from God is also left open. What's in it for you? God loves you and will generously provide that which is good for you, if you ask.