Matthew 7:7-12 NRSVue

⁷“Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. ⁸For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. ⁹Is there anyone among you who, if your child asked for bread, would give a stone? ¹⁰Or if the child asked for a fish, would give a snake? ¹¹If you, then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

¹²“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

“Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”

Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
The Jewish rabbis used say: ‘Human beings can hardly hear two people talking at once, but God, if all the world talks to him at the one time, hears their cry’. That challenges our imagination. Parent-child is only a metaphor for what happens in prayer. I know, Lord, that you always hear my cry, but I do not always understand your answer. I will still go on praying to you, happy to fall back on the ‘Our Father’. In the very act of praying we receive something from God. As we open our hearts to God in prayer, God's hands are open to give us good gifts. We leave a time of prayer with an increase of faith, hope and love, which is the consolation of God. No time of prayer is wasted; all prayer is in the service of love, and prayer increases within us our capacity to love.