As I am slowly working my way through Matthew, I come across well known passages. Verses that everyone memorises like Matthew 7:7 “…knock and the door will be opened to you…”
The passage is about asking God for things. And how to ask. A famous teaching by Jesus.
”… Ask, and the gift is yours. Seek, and you’ll discover. Knock, and the door will be opened for you. For every persistent one will get what he asks for. Every persistent seeker will discover what he longs for. And everyone who knocks persistently will one day find an open door…”
(Matthew 7:7-8)
The Cliff notes reads something like this:
1. Ask. It will be given (v7)
2. Look, you will find it (v7)
3. Knock, the door will be opened to you (v7)
4. Be persistent, it will pay off for every asker, looker and knocker(v8)
5. The reason being that God wants to give you good gifts
(Matthew 7:7-11)
It’s a lesson referred to in churches, school, motivational courses and frequently in business… even Gary Vaynerchuk teaches a variant of this (in his own special way…!)
But I think the best part of this passage is the part that is generally skipped over. Verses 9-11
My daughter asked if we can have a braai. She wants to braai for two reasons. First, she wants to play with the fire, and second… marshmallows!
Now… I am not the best dad, but I have learnt that fire burns (so I am there to stop her from going nuts, but allow enough singed eyebrows to ensure a healthy respect) and I have also learnt that a 6-year old hopped up on a bag of marshmallows is three days of trouble.
So how does that come together?
”… Do you know of any parent who would give his hungry child, who asked for food, a plate of rocks instead? Or when asked for a piece of fish, what parent would offer his child a snake instead? If you, imperfect as you are, know how to lovingly take care of your children and give them what’s best, how much more ready is your heavenly Father to give wonderful gifts to those who ask him?…”
God is our Father – He gives out of wisdom. Much better wisdom and understanding than what we will ever possess.
Some things He gives you fully and completely and immediately, without hesitation. Like salvation. Like forgiveness. Ask and it is yours.
Sometimes he gives what and when you ask to allow you a to lose an eyebrow. Because there are lessons to be learnt and skills to develop.
And sometimes He gives slowly, because it’s a wonderful gift, precious, and dear. But with responsibilities.
And sometimes the gift is on the other side of an opened door, but not the door you expected, because the door you were standing by, was no good for you.
But most importantly, the gift is always good. The Father does not give a plate of rocks to a hungry child that asked for food, or a snake when he asked for fish. Maybe the door I was standing by was the snake room, not the dining room?
Last thought…
My daughter doesn’t yet understand why a bag of marshmallows is a bad idea. But I know and understand the consequences and effect it will have on her, and the impact her brother, her mother, the goldfish, her dolls… and me.
So when God doesn’t answer my prayer, in my way, it takes me a while (sometimes 15 years), but I end up understanding why.
(Generally, the understanding comes faster now, because I learnt to ask God “why?” 😉)
