Ask, Seek, Knock

 Matthew 7:7

"Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you."

Three words. All involve action. Something we should do often and daily. Ask. Seek. Knock. Let's look more closely at each word. Ask is our first word. We ask a lot of questions about a lot of different situations that range from a particular topic or belief, situations going on in our personal lives, and events happening in the world around us. The only way to find out more about something is to ask questions to others. We could miss out on something important if we don't ask questions because it could be helpful and change our whole perspective. Let's ask questions when reading the Scriptures, such as what a word means, why it was written a certain way, and how we can use it in our daily lives. Let's ask God questions because we can know He will give us what we need when we need it. We all need help and shouldn't be afraid to ask. I've learned this! Seek is our next word. At some point in your childhood, you probably have played the game hide and seek. Someone counts up to a certain number while everyone else goes and hides. When the time is up, the one counting goes looking for everyone else. Some can be easily found, while others hide very well. Seek means to look. What have you been seeking lately? Revenge, jealousy or bitterness? Approval from others? Drama and negativity? A reason to complain? Are these even worth trying to find? No, these are not! We should be seeking God's peace, guidance, answers and to please Him above all else (Psalms 34:14, Matthew 6:33). Our last word is knock. We knock on a door when it's closed and we want to get in that certain place. Sometimes we have knocked on doors that opened quickly and we were welcomed in. Sometimes we have knocked on a door over and over again, but no one ever comes to the door and answers. It's either vacant or the people on the other side don't answer. Then there are the doors we knocked on and were let in, but then wish we hadn't been invited in! Ephesians 4:27 says, "And don't give the devil an opportunity." Every door of opportunity that opens in our lives is not for us to walk through. Some are and some are not. Or, it could be a door we need to walk through, but not at that particular moment. Just because you don't have access to get in right then doesn't mean you won't ever have access. That's where ask and seek come in. Ask those necessary questions and seek out the right path to know if that is a door that should be knocked on. When a knock is heard on a door, whoever is on the other side usually awakens and pays attention to the noise. In other words, we have to be careful what we awaken in our lives. Everything does not need our attention. When it is the right opportunity at the right time, you will have peace about the decision or situation. Ask questions. Seek out only what honors God and is going to help you. Knock on the doors that releases the God opportunity. The God opportunity is so worth the wait- I'm a witness! So don't forget..ask, seek, knock!