Jesus speaks of prayer in the previous chapter as a commanded duty, by which God is honored, and, if done aright, shall be a reward, and here spoken of as the appointed means of that which is needful in life. Ask, Seek, Knock, are three words of similar substance; pray; pray often; pray with sincerity and seriousness; pray, and pray again; make it conscience to pray, be constant and consistent in prayer; make it a business of praying, and to be earnest in prayer. Ask, as a beggar asks for alms. Those who are considered to be wealthy in grace, must betake themselves to be poor trade of begging, and therein will find that in praying is a thriving trade. Ask, as a traveler asks of the way to a specific destination, knowing that to pray is to enquire of God.
James 4:3 establishes ground upon which to focus our prayers: Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
Seek, for as you would for a thing of great value that has been lost. Seek, as a merchantman would seek for good, precious and valuable pearls. Daniel 9:3 tells us to seek by prayer. And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
Knock, as though you are desperately at the house door and desire to enter immediately. We would be allowed to come in and converse with God, taken into his perfect love, his favor, and his kingdom around his throne. What an image!! However, we must not only ask, but we must knock; we must come to God's door, we must ask importunately; not only pray, we must seek diligently and continue to knock, we must persevere in prayer, and in the use of means provided to us, and we must endure to the end of the duty, that is, PRAY, until your prayer is answered according to God's perfect will. And, as promised, our labour in prayer, if indeed we do labour in prayer, and not in vain, where God finds a praying heart, will be found a Prayer-Hearing God.
Be Blessed!!
sablack
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