Scripture: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Matthew 7:7-11 ESV
Observation: Having urged his disciples to cease pursuing anxiety-producing luxuries of food, clothing, and other basic needs and instead seek first the kingdom of God (6:25-34), Jesus builds on this command by encouraging them to persist in asking (praying to) their heavenly Father for his good (spiritual) gifts. In doing so, he employs action verbs (ask, seek, and knock) that imply our good and gracious God desires us to pursue his blessings fervently. Christ then reasons with his audience to consider how human parents who are evil (born into sin with the Fall) and thus prone to self-centeredness will care enough about their children to make the necessary sacrifices to provide for their needs. Therefore, as Jesus argues, how much more will our sinless heavenly Father give us “good things” when we ask him?
Takeaway: Christ’s Sermon on the Mount begins with the Beatitudes (spiritual blessings of eternal value). Hearing them, his disciples (and we) would indeed feel overwhelmed by his command to live according to these high standards of righteous living. But if we understand the depth of our sinfulness and Christ’s grace, we will realize that he has accomplished what we cannot and has given us the good gift of his Holy Spirit to begin the process of godly fruit-bearing in us. Thus, he emphasizes the importance of asking rightly for “good things” through prayer:
- the motive (6:5-8);
- the model (6:9-13); and,
- the means (above passage).
So what are these good things? Augustine relates them to the Beatitudes, which is undoubtedly fitting but not always easy to understand and apply to everyday life. The historical church extrapolates seven gifts (signifying completion with the number seven):
- Wisdom: illumines the mind and instills an attraction to the divine (St. Bernard).
- Understanding: helps us relate all truths to our life purpose through prayer, Scripture, and the sacraments.
- Knowledge: gaining insight and understanding to help us perceive the greatness of God and the wonder of his creation.
- Counsel: supernatural intuition to judge rightly under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- Fortitude: courage and endurance (Thomas Aquinas) that empowers us to stand up for God’s righteousness in the face of persecution (Joseph Rickaby).
- Piety: revering and relying on God so that we approach him in prayer with humility, trust, and love that flows through us to others.
- Fear of the Lord: being aware of God’s glory and majesty, we revere him not because we fear punishment but because we are overwhelmed by the presence of holy perfection and power.
This last gift points us to the first, for our fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, 15:33). And, of course, the fruit of these gifts is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22b-23a).
Thus, Christ’s imperative to ask, seek, and knock tells us to believe, initiate, and persevere. In his perfect timing, our good and gracious Father gave us the greatest gift of all time: His Son’s life, death, and resurrection. All other gifts pale in comparison. So how much more do we confidently approach his throne of grace to patiently receive good gifts that transform us into the likeness of his Son? Ask, seek, and knock!
Prayer: Father God, we are in awe of your majesty and might and are overwhelmed by the incredible gift of your Son. Would you please help us to believe, initiate, and persevere in pursuing the good gifts of your Holy Spirit so that we might be transformed from glory to glory into the likeness of your Son? Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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