For the last several blogs, we have been studying the great sermon that Jesus preached on a mountain. If you have been following this blog, you may have noticed that our Lord’s sermon was not very repetitive. Every section that we have examined has been on a different subject matter. Well, our text for tonight’s blog is Matthew 7:7-11, and in it we have the only subject that Jesus dealt with twice in the Sermon on the Mount. That subject matter is once again prayer. In chapter six, Jesus taught us the right and wrong way to pray by giving us a model of prayer. In this text, we find Jesus re-addressing the subject of prayer. What does Jesus teach us this time about prayer? Let us look at three things.

• We Should Be Persistent in Prayer

Jesus began by using three different terms that point to the idea of persistency (ver. 7). When it comes to prayer, Jesus said that we need to ask, seek, and knock. Now, it is not only these words that indicate persistency, but the Greek tense they are in as well. They are present tense verbs that indicate continuing action. In other words, Jesus tells us that we need to keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking. It is important that we do not quit when our prayers are not answered right away. The delay could simply be God evaluating our faith. Let us demonstrate that we genuinely believe that God listens to all of our petitions by being persistent in prayer.

• We Should Be Confident in Prayer

Jesus said that when we ask “it shall be given…” We know, of course, that there may be circumstances of which we are unaware that causes God to say no to our requests. However, we should not go into prayer thinking that getting what we are asking for is a “long-shot.” Referring to a person praying for wisdom, James said, “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord” (James 1:6-7). When we pray, let us be sure that we are approaching God’s throne with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).

• We Should Remember Our Relationship to God in Our Prayers

As we learned from our Lord’s earlier teaching on prayer, we are praying to a loving Father. In dealing with this truth, Jesus points us to the reality of God’s love. God has a true father’s love for us, and earthly fathers always act in the best interest of their children, that is, fathers who love their children. Jesus pictures a son coming to his father and asking for food. What father, when his son asks for bread, would give him a stone? Or what father, when his son asks for a fish, would give him a serpent? No father in his right mind would do that. We love our children enough to give them good things, and Jesus reminds us that if we, being evil, know how to give what is good to our children, then surely God does too. He is not tainted by sin or selfishness like we are. Instead, He loves us perfectly, and we should remember that each and every time we pray.

Let us take full advantage of this great gift called prayer. Since this is the only subject that Jesus dealt with twice, we know that it is important to pray. Let us not be neglectful.

As you wind down for the night, think on these things.