Matt.7:7,8 – 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.
If you were asked, “Why did Jesus become a man?”, what would you say? Most would answer with some version of Jesus came to die for our sins. Why did He do that? Why did He come to die? The final answer to that question is about love and intimacy and family. The Lord wanted us to be with Him in a close spiritual and intimate way. We were always intended to walk with God. That’s why Jesus came to earth, He wanted to bring us back to the place of intimacy with God. That’s what His blood was about. That’s what His teaching on prayer was about, not just getting answers for our basic physical needs on earth, He wants us to pray because He is after us. Here is how Andrew Murray describes this.
“In the three words the Lord uses – ask, seek, and knock – a difference in meaning has been sought. If such was indeed His purpose, then the first ask refers to the gifts we pray for. But I may ask and receive the gift without the Giver. Seek is the word Scripture uses of God Himself; Christ assures me that I can find Him. But it is not enough to find God in time of need without coming to abiding fellowship. Knock speaks of admission to dwell with Him and in Him. Asking and receiving the gift would thus lead to seeking and finding the Giver; this again leads to the knocking and opening of the door of the Father’s home and love. One thing is sure: The Lord wants us to be certain that asking, seeking, and knocking are not in vain; receiving an answer, finding God, and the opened heart and home of God are the certain fruit of prayer.”
So, we are drawing near to God. This drawing near may start by praying for His help in a crisis in our life; He is fine with that, but He will not stop there. These answered prayers are a sort of hook to get you acknowledging that you have access to Him. That brings you to the seeking part, seeking and finding Him. Finally, we start to knock; this is when it gets really good. Jesus Himself opens the door and brings us into a whole new world. This is why He became a man, to give us a life of fellowship with Him that continues into eternity.
