ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN UNTO YOU.

“Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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 gifts to them that ask him? Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:7-12.

I once knew an evangelist who applied the first portion of this parable as the basis for his prayers that God would provide him with a Mercedes sedan. Now, I am sure that he was thinking a new one as he prayed. God permitted him to have what he asked for, but it was an older one and it was unreliable, a veritable “thorn in the flesh.” Sometimes our Lord permits is to have what we have asked for, in order to teach us a lesson about prayer. He wants us to come to him to ask for what we really need to do his work better, not what we want, perhaps for a questionable motive. Like Ananias and Saphira, we can do the right thing for the wrong motive. I also remember another evangelist, who asked for a BMW. God also allowed him to have it, much to his regrets.

On the other hand, I myself once prayed earnestly for a particular church building, that was up for sale, even though I had no money available at all. God answered that prayer and set in motion the means to provide it. It was a great blessing both to us and to the work that we were doing for Him at the time. It provided a debt free, house of worship, a Bible Bookstore, an apartment for ourselves, guest rooms for visitors, and space for our printing and publishing work. Where we had been working had been frequently burgled, but this replacement was never invaded, though not that they did not try. Our very presence on the property, saved the day, probably also with the protection of our guardian angels for I really do not see myself as being responsible for the two van loads of would be thieves who fled the scene one dark night. They never returned. That could have resulted in a tragic end to our very lives.

I like the second part of the parable. Jesus pointed out that we know how to give what our children need. Sometimes, in fact, we are too generous to their loss. How many times has an only son, or a youngest son, been given everything he wanted to the extent that he never learned to work and accept responsibility for his own family? God knows how to give “good gifts” to those who ask of Him. But, He also knows when it it not for our own good that he give it, then or even at all.

“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” What a wonderful note on which to end this parable. Like beautiful music, we have all listened to a magnificent musical presentation, which comes to a perfect close leaving us with a memory that will stay with us, perhaps for life. Let s keep this thought ever before us. “Do ye even so to them.”

When you go to God in prayer, pray, not for yourself alone, but pray that the answer to your prayer may be a blessing to others. After all we are here, not for our own blessing, but that we might be a blessing to others. Jesus also said, “Go ye to all the nations.”