Of course. This is a powerful and profound promise from Jesus that speaks to the heart of our relationship with God in prayer. It is an invitation to trusting, expectant prayer, rooted in His goodness.
Here is a poem and a reflection on this promise.
---
Ask In Faith
The door is open, the way is clear, The Father’s heart is leaning near. Not to the distant,silent sky, But to a God who hears our cry.
He does not play a guessing game, Or treat our asking with disdain. He sets a promise,strong and true, For me,for her, for you.
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”(Matthew 7:7)
But woven through this great command, A thread on which the promise stands: The asking must be set in trust, In God,who is both good and just.
“But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt,” (James 1:6) For faith is what the prayer’s about. It’s not the size,but where it’s placed, In His great mercy,not our waste.
To ask in faith is to believe That He will hear,and He’ll receive Our request,and in His way, Provide exactly what we need that day.
It is to trust His heart and hand, When we don’t understand the plan. It is to pray,“Your will be done,” And trust the victory is won.
For what He gives is always best, Beyond our anxious,small request. “If you… know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”(Matthew 7:11)
So ask for wisdom, ask for bread, For daily grace,for sin’s dread shed. Ask for the Spirit’s powerful fall, And trust He gives His all in all.
But ask in faith, with yielded will, His purpose to fulfill. For faith is not a magic spell, But knowing that He does all well.
Ask in faith, and it shall be given. This is the law of heaven’s throne. So bring your need,and bring your care, And leave it in His tender care.
---
Understanding the Promise:
This command from Jesus (Matthew 7:7, James 1:6) is not a blank check for whatever we want. It is an invitation to a dynamic, trusting relationship. "Asking in faith" means:
1. Asking in Alignment with God's Will: Faithful prayer is rooted in a desire for God's will above our own. "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." (1 John 5:14). We ask for what He promises to give (wisdom, the Holy Spirit, daily provision, etc.).
2. Asking with Trust in God's Character: Faith believes that God is who He says He is—good, loving, wise, and powerful. We trust that He will answer in the best way and at the best time, even if it's different from our expectation.
3. Asking Without Doubting: This doesn't mean we never have a flicker of doubt. It means we choose to reject doubt and actively place our confidence in God's promise and faithfulness. We come to Him because we believe He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
4. Asking with Persistence: The verbs "ask, seek, knock" are in a continuous tense in Greek. It implies keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking. It is the persistence of a child who confidently believes their parent hears them.
A Prayer to Ask in Faith:
"Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the incredible invitation to ask of You. Forgive me for the times I have failed to ask, or have asked with doubt and selfish motives. I come before you now in faith.
I believe that You are who You say You are: a good, good Father who delights to give good gifts to Your children. I place my trust not in the outcome I desire, but in Your perfect will and character.
I ask for [mention your specific need or desire]. But more than anything, I ask for Your will to be done in this situation. I ask in the powerful name of Jesus, and I trust You for the answer.
Thank you for hearing me. Thank you for answering in Your wisdom and love.
Amen."
No comments:
Post a Comment