“Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.” – Matthew 7:7-8 Amplified Bible.
Once upon a time, a man named Jacob embarked on a long sea voyage. Jacob wasn’t a wealthy man, but he had saved up enough to buy a ticket for the ship. However, knowing he couldn’t afford the pricey meals onboard, he decided to stretch his budget by purchasing a large supply of crackers to sustain him throughout the journey.
As the days passed, Jacob stuck to his crackers, munching on them diligently while watching others enjoy hearty meals in the ship’s dining hall. His cabin mate, Sarah, took notice of Jacob’s routine and couldn’t help but wonder why he never joined them for meals.
On the last day of the voyage, Sarah finally approached Jacob, curiosity getting the better of her. “Jacob,” she began, “I’ve noticed you haven’t been joining us for meals. Is everything alright?” Jacob sighed, a hint of embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “Well, Sarah,” he confessed, “I couldn’t afford the meals onboard, so I’ve been making do with my crackers.”
Sarah’s eyes widened in disbelief. “But Jacob,” she exclaimed, “didn’t you know that your ticket covers all the meals? They’re included in the fare you paid!” Jacob’s heart sank as the truth hit him like a ton of bricks. All this time, he had needlessly deprived himself of nourishing food simply because he didn’t realize it was already paid for.
As Jacob reflected on his mistake, a profound realization dawned on him. In much the same way, he had been living his spiritual life. Despite being a child of God, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, he had been struggling needlessly, trying to earn God’s favor through his efforts.
Just like the meals onboard the ship were already covered by his ticket, so too were the blessings of redemption already paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ including the showers of blessing. Jacob vowed without delay to embrace the fullness of his salvation and live in the abundance of God’s grace. From that day forward, Jacob’s life was transformed. No longer shackled by ignorance, he walked in the freedom and victory that was his birthright as a child of God.
The parable of the prodigal son, found in Luke 15:11-32, is very insightful and highly instructive. While the focus is often on the younger son who squanders his inheritance and then returns humbly to his father, the character of the elder brother is equally significant and offers valuable lessons for Christians. The elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son represents those who may outwardly conform to religious practices but lack a true understanding of what rightly belongs to them in Christ. He fails to realize that he already possesses a double portion of his father’s wealth as the firstborn and was ignorantly slaving for his father and cannot even ask for a little goat to celebrate with his friends! He does not know how to ask for what rightly belongs to him because he fails to recognize his worth and position in the family.
As Christians, we are called to approach God boldly, knowing that we are heirs to His promises and blessings through Christ. Hebrews 4:16 encourages us to “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This emphasizes the importance of asking boldly for what rightly belongs to us as children of God. [see Luke 15:11-12].
The Lord Jesus Himself teaches us the importance of persistent prayer and asking in faith. In Matthew 7:7-8, He says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” This is the right attitude that is required to appropriate the showers of blessing into our lives and enjoy the fruitful seasons that accompany the showers!
