Affirmation of God: I keep asking and receive, keep seeking and find, keep knocking and the door is opened.

As I read Matthew 7:8 from the Amplified Bible today I had to ask myself if this translation of the Holy Scriptures hedged its bets a bit. The Amplified version states: For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened. (AMP) 

I had always heard the other versions that seemed more immediate and definite such as the New King James Version: For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (NKJ) 

Please hang with me as I attempt to develop this thought. Am I showing a lack of faith by “keep on asking” or should I just be confident and full of faith that if I ask I receive?  What am I to do with this? What do you think? 

Secondly, as I reflect back I also see God’s hand and wisdom in those times He did NOT give me what I asked for. So maybe it would be better for me to keep asking that HIS wants to be done, keep seeking HIS will, and Knock on HIS door and it will be opened. 

Was this scripture ever intended to be about what I want? What I ask for? What I seek? Whatever door I want opened? Have you ever experienced your “wants” changing over time? 

As I read along in Matthew 7 I see that God is the great gift giver. He compared how we like to give good gifts to our children and give them what they want. But I am sure we have had experiences where our children wanted things we knew would not be good for them in the end, right? 

The 7^th chapter of Matthew is so full of powerful messages that I am almost overwhelmed. So a later verse that really struck me today was in 7:23 where the Lord said to the false prophets “I NEVER KNEW YOU”. These people had selfish intentions although they were doing things that appeared to be Godly. But the Lord says; get away from me as I never knew you. 

That’s all I really want, right? I just want God to know me, intimately. So when I come to Him and humbly pray out to Him He will know me. But you may say of course He already knows me. He knows me because he created me and knows the number of hairs on my head. But does my heart become one with Him? 

So I see a real benefit about keeping on asking, keeping on seeking and keeping on knocking. It’s not about what I want but about the time I spend with Him. As I kneel to Him today and raise my hands in prayer may it be about asking what He wants and that I receive that, seeking what He desires and finding that, and knocking on the doors He desires for me to knock on and yes they will be opened. 

But no matter the result. His will be done and He will know me and my heart. When we meet He may say O yeh, you are the guy that just kept on asking day after day and yes my son I know you. For that I don’t feel guilty about hedging my bets. Keep asking, keep seeking and keep knocking. 

Tom Raines

Christian Affirmations 4 Life.