Ask and Knock (Or Pray with Open Wallet)

 

“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;

knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Jesus in Matthew 7:7)

“When you pray, you must ask, seek and – knock!” (RA)

A father was leading his family in their time of devotions. When he prayed, he told God about the needs of the poor widow across the street. He listed the things she needed, and he proceeded to tell the Lord just how to send them.

Tear of sympathy tolled down his wife’s cheeks. But one member of the family – the couple’s son – wasn’t praying. He was thinking. When the father said “Amen”, his son walked over to him and with his hand held out said, “Dad, give me your wallet and I’ll go over there and answer your prayer myself.” It was obvious to that youngster that prayer and practice must go together whenever possible.

Of course, prayer must come first. But the reason of prayer is action and practice. There are certain prayers that need extraordinary miracles to happen (and we can’t do anything, except fully relying on God) such as when we pray for people’s salvation, spiritual comfort for the broken, Spirit-anointed ministry, healing, etc. But there are great many prayers that need us to pray and at the same time need us to move into actions. When we pray for a job, we need to find job. When we pray for the hungry, we need to provide food for them. When we pray for good result in exam, we need to study.

Remember this old-ever-relevant advice about prayer: When you pray, pray as though everything depended on God. When you work, work as though everything depended on you. Both God’s sovereignty and human’s free will.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.