Matthew’s Gospel: Seeking

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We come into the world seeking. It never lets up as long as we live.
The objects of our search change from age to age, but the seeking goes on. Perhaps when our feet rest on streets of gold in the great beyond, our search will finally be over, but perhaps not. Might we spend eternity seeking out new wonders in the New Heaven and the New Earth? Could it be that we will occupy ourselves after “we’ve been there ten thousand years” with seeking out new things about our God so that we can give Him the praise He deserves? I think so.

Whatever happens then, we live a seeker’s life today. Jesus promises us, not a reprieve from seeking, but the surety of finding what we need. His promise is threefold:

  • Ask and it shall be given.
  • Seek and you shall find.
  • Knock and it shall be opened.

This the life He promises when we put His Kingdom first; He will meet our needs. Now He gives us detailed instructions on how to appropriate what we need.

Asking

Asking is done from a place of humility. If we understand Calvary, we will never look to God and demand things. It is proper to remind God of His covenantal promises but this, too, is done in humility. When we ask of God, we are not dealing with what we deserve (Heaven help us!) but with His astounding grace. It is said that the Greek verb here is one of a continuous tense: “Ask and keep on asking.” This is not presumption. Jesus instructs us to do exactly this with the parable of the persistent friend (Luke 11:5-8) Persistent asking for what we need is a precious thing birthed in humility and bathed in faith.

Seeking

While asking borders on being passive, seeking requires action. We must turn over rocks to see what might be under them. We must explore new territories to see what manner of life grows there. We must sail new seas, travel new roads, and make new alliances to find the things for which we are seeking. God guides these processes and life becomes an adventure. Remember those fishermen from Galilee whose lives were transformed from routine to romance by the Lord’s call, “Follow me.” It is so with us. The Lord installs into our hearts a vision of what we might become or what we might do for Him. This vision becomes a quest and we are off on our life-long search for what He has in store for us. He has promised that we will find it.

Knocking

Sometimes in our adventure, we hit a wall and it seems our progress is stopped. We must not despair—we must ask! The Lord knows what to do. We must seek; there will be a door in the wall. Now the third method comes into play—we must knock. Knocking is different from asking and seeking because knocking enlists the help of others. Asking comes from deep within us. Seeking is our personal quest. Knocking enrolls us on a team roster. We engage with others who are likewise asking and seeking. They can open doors for us and we can do the same for them. The Lord is good at building teams; think of Jesus and the Twelve. He still does that. We can find the right team by this adventurous lifestyle of asking, seeking and knocking. Watching and guiding our seeking is a loving Heavenly Father who is good to the core. He has set us on the quest and aligned us with traveling companions.

We come into the world seeking. It never lets up as long as we live.

Scriptures

Matthew 7: 7-9 – “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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being 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!
Luke 11:5-8
And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for the quest! Thank You for this life of adventure in following You. Sometimes I have been uneasy in the quest but I have seldom been bored. When I have asked, You have answered. When I have sought, You have shown me what I need. When I have knocked on doors that were shut tight, You have sent someone to open them for me. Still, there are needs today so I continue to ask. Still, there are mysteries so I continue to seek. Some doors remain closed so, as You direct me, I keep on knocking. Send me the partners in ministry I need to accomplish the things You have birthed in my heart. All for Your Glory, Lord. Amen.

Song

Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God (Words and Music: Karen Lafferty)

1. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God And His righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you Allelu, Alleluia

2. Man shall not live by bread alone But by every word
That proceeds from the mouth of God Allelu, Alleluia

3. Ask and it shall be given unto you Seek and ye shall find
Knock and the door shall be opened unto you Alleluia, Alleluia

 

Semper Reformanda!
Stephen Phifer

 

 

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About the Author

Full of passion for Jesus Christ, Stephen Phifer is a third-generation minister with more than three decades of experience as a pastoral artist, worship leader, and conductor.