I’m finishing the book Prevailing Prayer by D.L. Moody. In his chapter on petitioning the Lord, he discusses how Jesus tells us, “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Luke 11:9). Moody writes, “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The only way to trouble God is not to come at all. He encourages us to come to Him repeatedly, and press our claims.”
The only way to trouble God is not to come at all.
Moody explains further that many people approach God and do not expect an answer. They are the ones who knock and run away or knock and believe in their heart that nobody is home. Or they knock so softly to not disturb. Finally, they knock without being sure they actually want entrance into the place.
But think about the persistent knock of someone on your door. They won’t go away. It’s loud and urgent. They know what they need and won’t run away. Moody reflects on someone who says, “Jesus cannot be expected to answer runaway knocks. He has never promised it. I mean to keep knocking, knocking, until He cannot help opening the door.”
So we keep knocking on the door. We ask, seek, and knock to find the door opening. I think about what doors seem closed to us. On which door will we keep knocking with the full expectation God will open that door and welcome us?