forming an ask-force
"Ask, and you will receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives." —Matthew 7:7-8
Some ingenuous Bible preachers and teachers have tried to expound on the differences between asking, seeking, and knocking. However, all three commands probably mean the same thing. Jesus is simply and repeatedly commanding us to ask, ask, and ask. Are we getting the message? If so, then why does Jesus keep repeating Himself?
Most of us ask God for a thing or two. Yet it may be that He wants us to ask Him for hundreds or thousands of things. Jesus told His apostles: "Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full" (Jn 16:24). The writer of the book of James bluntly stated: "You do not obtain because you do not ask" (Jas 4:2).
Jesus wants us to ask more — not because He won't give without our asking, but because He wants us to communicate with Him more. He calls us to abide in Him (see Jn 15:5, 7), to live in His presence. He does not call us to ask out of selfishness but out of love (Jas 4:3). He wants us to share every detail of our lives with Him. He wants to be our Life (see Phil 1:21; Gal 2:20).
Constantly asking Him means constantly loving Him and living in Him. Ask Love (1 Jn 4:16). Ask Life (Jn 14:6; Jn 11:25). Ask Jesus.
Prayer: Father, this Lent teach me to ask as Your child.
Promise: "Save us by Your power, and help me, who am alone and have no one but You, O Lord. You know all things." —Est C:25
Praise: Jesus healed Laura of a tumor in her neck.
Reference: (To grow in prayer, order our book, Conversion-Conversations. This book is written in the format of daily conversations with God for forty weeks. By faithfully praying the "conversation" each day, you will grow in confidence of God's personal love for you.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, August 1, 1996
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 6, 1996