You hear a lot today about “inclusiveness” – People argue about who should be included in a particular group, who MUST be included, and who cannot be included. Today I’m going to tell you about the MOST INCLUSIVE group in the world.
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Here I go again, reminding you of something you already know, and actually something that many of you know VERY well.
But that does not eliminate the need for repetition. Repetition reinforces something , drives it home deeply into our hearts.
The day we were married I told my wife, “You are so precious to me.” To this day it is something I tell her often, over and over again. I don’t do it because i think she may have forgotten. Nor do I repeat this affirmation because I’m afraid I may forget. (Though sometimes my actions would certainly support that argument. But that is another issue.) I certainly don’t say, “Hey, I told you you’re precious to me in 1983! If it changes, I’ll let you know.” No, of course not. Its importance warrants its repetition.
I repeat myself both as an affirmation and a reminder; a reinforcement, if you will.
As we move to the verse today, the same principle holds true. When he was reminding believers of the various things that God has granted to us by His divine power, the Apostle Peter told them, “I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” As he did, Peter intended those who heard him to say, “I’ve heard this before; since he’s bringing it up again, it is certainly important. Let me listen more carefully.”
Today’s verse says KEEP ON ASKING AND YOU WILL RECEIVE WHAT YOU ASK FOR.
Those words of Jesus in Matthew 7 hold such an incredible key to powerful prayer that they bear repeating. Indeed, they MUST be repeated. Contained within them is the very essence of the importance of continued repetition. Not the vain, mindless repetition of a wrote prayer said over and over again without the focus of the heart; but the purposeful and powerful repetition like telling someone that you love them — again and again.
Jesus here introduces the most inclusive group in the universe. No discrimination. No secret entry code required for admission. Who’s able to be a part of this group? EVERYONE! Christ’s choice of words here is deliberate, and therefore deliberately inclusive. In the full verse Jesus promises –
EVERYONE who asks and keeps on asking will keep on receiving.
EVERYONE who seeks and keeps on seeking will keep on finding.
EVERYONE who knocks and keeps on knocking will keep on seeing doors opened to them.
EVERYONE. No exceptions.
The key to this promise is that, in order to ask Jesus for anything, you have to come to Him. As you keep coming to Him to ask for things, your relationship with Him grows, deepens and develops; and that leads to change within you. You will become more and more like Jesus as you keep coming to Him and spending time in His presence. So the things you end up asking for are the same things that Jesus is asking for. He is able to give and keep giving because you’re being conformed into His image. You want things that will advance the Kingdom of God, things that will reflect His glory more and more. He literally gives you the desires of your heart, and then fulfils your desires as you ask Him.
So be reminded. Be encouraged.
ASK – and keep on asking.
SEEK – and keep on seeking.
KNOCK – and keep on knocking.
God says He will not stop responding. He will give, He will provide, He will open.
And He’ll do it for the most inclusive group in the universe …… EVERYONE.
ANYONE can come to Him and ask for Him to begin working in their life.
ANYONE and EVERYONE – now THAT’S inclusive!
