The Door That's Always Open

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” (Mat. 7:7-8)

Have you ever hesitated before knocking on someone’s door? Maybe you weren’t sure if they really wanted company, or you wondered if you’d be bothering them. I remember once standing on the porch of an old friend’s house, debating whether I should knock. My hand hovered, my heart beat a little faster, and I almost turned back to the car. But then the door opened before I even knocked - my friend had seen me coming, and the smile on his face told me everything. I was welcome. I was wanted.

Here’s what gets me about Jesus’ words in Mat.7:7-8: He’s telling us that with God, the door is never locked. He’s not annoyed when we ask. He doesn’t roll His eyes when we come again and again with our needs. Instead, He invites us with the words, “ask, seek, and knock”. Picture that scene for a minute. Jesus, sitting with His disciples and teaching them what it means to live as children of the Father. He isn’t imposing a harsh requirement or presenting a complicated formula. Instead, He gives them permission to be bold and approach their loving God. He gives them permission to trust that God isn’t stingy with His love or His blessings.

Think about the order of the words. First, He says, “Ask.” That’s the most natural place to start. Children ask their parents without hesitation. They don’t wonder if they’re worthy; they just know their parent loves them. Then, He says, “Seek.” That’s more than asking; it’s putting effort into the pursuit. It’s knowing where the blessing will come from. And then finally, “Knock.” That’s persistence. That’s the picture of someone not giving up until the door opens. The promise attached to this is staggering: “For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Notice, He does not say some, or a few, but everyone.

That doesn’t mean God gives us everything we want exactly how we want it. If that were true, we’d all be spoiled children. No, what it means is that God never ignores us, never dismisses us, and always provides us with exactly what we need in His wisdom and love. I think about the times I’ve prayed and felt like heaven was silent. Maybe you’ve experienced this too. Maybe you’ve asked for healing, guidance, or help, and nothing seemed to change. In those moments, this passage becomes both a comfort and a challenge. Comfort, because we know God hears us, and a challenge because it calls me to keep seeking and keep knocking, even when I don’t see immediate results.

Jesus continues in this teaching by comparing God to a father who gives good gifts. Just a few verses later, He says, “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!” (Mat. 7:9-11). That image hits home. As a father, I can’t imagine my children coming to me hungry and me giving them something useless or harmful. Even with my flaws, I want what’s best for them. If that’s true of me, how much more true is it of God?

So maybe the real question isn’t whether God is willing to answer, but whether we are willing to keep asking, to keep seeking, and to keep knocking. Will we trust Him enough to come to Him boldly, to believe His promises even when we can’t see the outcome? The door is never locked. The Father is always home. And the smile on His face when we come to Him is better than anything we could have imagined.