マタイによる福音書7:7-12 Matthew 7:7-12,

We pray to God in many ways. For example, when we are in trouble because we don’t have what we need, we may pray, “God, I need ________. Please give it to me.” In today’s Bible passage, Jesus says: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” How is it to be done?

There are times when we pray to God, “Please give me _________,” but God doesn’t answer immediately. What do you do when that happens? Do we give up, thinking, “Oh, God doesn’t hear my prayers after all”? If we give up there, then it turns out to be an untrue prayer that we prayed, “I need ________. Please give it to me.”

If you read chapter 11 of Luke’s Gospel, you will find that as in today’s passage, Jesus says: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Before teaching that, Jesus tells the parable of the man who came at midnight to borrow bread to feed his travelling friend. Jesus then said that the person who was asked to lend bread will rise and give because of the persistence of the man who came at midnight (Luke 11:8). In other words, this means “praying persistently.” If a person prays persistently, God will know that this person really needs what he/she is asking for and answer his/her prayer. When someone asks us for something, we also think about whether it is really necessary for that person. And if we find out that the person really needs it, we will give it to them. In the same way, if you really needs something, God will give it to you. That is why Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” How wonderful that we are given this promise that our prayers will be heard!

Jesus then went on to say, “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” If you think about it, we human beings have bad thoughts in our hearts. And we do bad things that go against God’s teachings. But even so, when your child asks for bread, you would not give him a stone, saying, “Eat it.” When your child asks for a fish, you would not give them a snake, saying, “I give you this.” Even sinful human beings give good things. Therefore, God our Heavenly Father, who loves us, “will give good things to those who ask him!”

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray the prayers “Give us this day our daily bread,” and “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Since daily bread and forgiveness of sins are necessary for everyone, Jesus taught us to pray that they be given to “us.” And at the end of today’s Bible passage, Jesus says: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” “Law and Prophets” means God’s teachings. That is, summing up God’s teachings, they become “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” Daily bread and forgiveness of sins are what we all want to be given. So, sharing food with each other and forgiving each other’s sins are practising “whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them.” Let us trust God and ask persistently for what we need, and let us live by sharing what we need.