It was several months ago that I posted a piece on prayer. The focus was centered a bit on my own frustration about why God was choosing not to answer our prayers regarding a specific issue in our life. Something that He is about to do shortly, I believe.
Prayer, for me is one of the most difficult aspects of the Christian life. Yes, we all pray in one form or another. We even pray often about the same need(s) seeking either God's direction or His action. Often these prayers seem to go unanswered. And, it is in my nature to question why that might be.
This past Sunday, our pastor addressed the issue of prayer. Specifically, he offered his thoughts regarding the passage in Matthew where Jesus states with some certainty, that we should ask, seek and knock. For in doing so we will receive, find, and a door will be opened.
That teaching of Christ has been befuddling to me for many years. As a pastor, in order to reconcile the difficulty of the truth, I took the avenue that said we receive, find, and doors are opened only when we are in right standing with God and pray according to what fits within His will. Neither of which are qualifiers that Jesus states, or implies.
Now, before I explore my Pastor's comments, let me say that my observations are merely on the basis of interacting with what I hear from the pulpit - something I think everyone should do. I seldom, if ever, just absorb what I hear without filtering it in some way.
Therefore, what my pastor had to say about the verses in Matthew 7:7-11 ( he also added vs. 12-14 as a part, which I have yet to figure out) was this: 1) We must pray a righteous prayer and 2) we must be living a righteous life for this passage to have its full impact. I suspect these points, or some variation of these points, are not new to anyone regarding these passages and others. After all, we must be able to explain in some way, why prayers are not answered with the immediacy Christ implies.
Is it when I am in right standing with God that I can expect my prayers to be answered? Is it when I have some insight to God's will and pray accordingly, that what I ask, seek, and knock for will be granted? Well yes --- to some degree.
It is true that the prayer of a righteous person avails much, that impudence has its place and asking without selfish desire all play a part in prayer that brings the desired response. However, in the Matthew setting, perhaps something different is in mind.
Could it be that what we (and the disciples) are encouraged to ask, seek and knock for, are the very values and characteristics Christ has been enumerating up to this point? That the "good things" are those qualities of Christ likeness spelled out in the Sermon on the Mount? Naturally, desiring those qualities leads to a certain righteousness. Living those qualities brings a certain harmony with God's will. However, I suspect the cart is indeed before the horse if we emphasis quality of life and prayer as the starting points. They are the fruit. It is when we "seek first the Kingdom of God," that needs will be met and desires fulfilled.
The whole point about the Sermon on the Mount is not so the general public will be uplifted and motivated. It is that Christ's followers will understand what is expected in their lives. I suspect that the entire closing remarks, Matthew 7, bear that out. At least in Matthew's mind as he caps this segment of Christ's teaching.
Father, let me ask until my poor spirit is made rich. Let me seek until I find meekness in my life and not bravado. May I knock on the door of a pure heart until I find it open. Let me be light and not darkness.
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