SEEK
"... seek and you will find..."
Matthew 7:7b (NIV)
If you've ever lost your car keys, you know it takes far less effort to ask, Have you seen my keys? than to search every room in the house. Asking invites a response, but seeking gives you an active role in the process.
By following His invitation to ask with the instruction to seek, Jesus is conveying that there is progressive energy to prayer. While the Father loves it when we come to Him with our requests, He also wants us to put in the work to seek Him, His Word and His Kingdom as we pray.
In fact, the word seek that Jesus uses in Matthew 7:7 is the same word Jesus used earlier in Matthew 6:33 when he told the crowd to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Seeking pulls us out of trying to build our kingdom to aligning with God to build His Kingdom. It keeps us more inclined to store up treasures in heaven rather than here on earth (Matthew 6:19-24). It helps us discern God's will and direction as we make decisions. And seeking communicates our desire to grow in relationship with the Lord.
While it is always exciting to see God answer prayers, getting an answer is only one reward of prayer. Often, the greater reward is finding more of God in the process and experiencing Him shape and grow us in the process of asking and seeking.
It's wondrous that God invites us into the mysterious work of prayer. He wants us to come to Him, both expectant that He will answer and open to discovering what He wants to do in and through us as He works out His purposes in our lives.
APPLICATION: Is there something you're asking God for without putting in the effort to seek Him?
PRAYER: God, I confess I can get in the habit of asking You for things without truly taking time to seek You. Deepen my prayer life by giving me a heart to seek You, Your Word and Your Kingdom together with the answers I long to receive from You. Amen.
"… Our Father in heaven…" Matthew 6:9b (NLT)
• What do You want to say to me today as my Father?
"… may your name be kept holy." Matthew 6:9c (NLT)
• What do You want to reveal to me about Your power today?
"May your Kingdom come soon." Matthew 6:10a (NLT)
• Help me make Your priorities my priorities today.
"Give us today the food we need," Matthew 6:11 (NLT)
• Is there anything specific You want me to do with my time or the people I'm around today?
"and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" Matthew 6:12 (NLT)
• Reveal to me anyone I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness.
"And don’t let us yield to temptation…" Matthew 6:13a (NLT)
• Is there anywhere I'm vulnerable to temptation?