(The following is the March 19 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Luke 11 and pay close attention to verses 5-13.)
Jesus’ love for people is evident in the compassion he showed. He acted on that love in ways people needed. We are blessed when God proactively sees and meets our needs out of his love for us.
We also have a role in the Father meeting our needs. What is it? Jesus gives us three related commands: ask, seek, and knock. While the actions seem similar, they also make sense sequentially. For example, imagine a hungry person on the street needing food. First, he may ask someone where to go for a meal. Then he seeks out that place according to the instructions given. Once there, he knocks on the door. When opened, he verbalizes the need and enters to satisfy his hunger when the host kindly welcomes him in.
When we have a physical or spiritual need, we may ask friends, mentors, and God for guidance. Through the Spirit, the Word, and godly people, we can discover answers and others who can meet our needs.
God desires to bless his children. “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (v. 13). Even mediocre parents desire to give good things to their children. How much more does our perfect Father want that for us?
Jesus specifies in this verse that God will give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. We are drawn to God by his grace to ask about healing our broken relationship with him. Through his direction, we seek the truth of his Word. We knock on his door through prayer, and he opens it to welcome us into his family as Spirit-filled children.
What a kind and giving Father we have.
- A – Ask
- S – Seek
- K – Knock
Next Step:
What do you need from your heavenly Father that you have not asked for in prayer? Ask. Seek. Knock.
