Ask, Seek, Knock

The Greek language gives us some deep insight into the scripture in Matthew 7:7-8, says Kenneth S. Wuest in his book Wuest’s Word Studies From the Greek New Testament. I so love this book of Golden Nuggets. 

There are two words for “knock” in the Greek language. The first meaning means an “unceremonious” pounding. The other is a reverential polite knock. This later meaning is the word used in Mt 7:7.

Wuest says that the literal translation is: “Keep on asking, and it shall be given you: keep on seeking and ye shall find, keep on reverently knocking, and it shall be opened.” When we look at this more accurate translation we glean several wonderful lessons:

If we don’t receive an answer to our prayer, we should persevere in prayer until we do, or until God shows us that our petition is not according to His will (His Word).

In the case of some prayers, it takes God time to answer. I love the example Wuest uses: It takes God time to grow a beautiful rose.  In the same way, it takes God time to woo the sinner with a granite-like heart to bow to the Lord Jesus.

Do you have a loved one with a heart that needs to bow to the Lord Jesus and His authority? Can you see the beautiful rose He is creating in this loved one? I do and I can. I read about this beautiful rose one day this week while praying for one of our family members. It so encouraged me to think of this rose.

While you and I keep on praying, God keeps on working in our behalf. Wuest relates that many a meager Christian experience is because of  a meager prayer life.

We don’t have a right to obnoxiously demand that God answer our prayer. But we do have the right (and it pleases our Heavenly Father) to keep on reverently knocking with the hand of faith, which gratefully expects the answer.