Did you ever witness a conversation between a two-year-old and his or her parent? Sometimes it can be quite amusing as the two-year-old is very persistent. They keep on asking or questioning: “why?” “no” “can I have____” etc. The conversation ends by either the parent giving up in exasperation, giving in to the child or the child ends up in tears having some kind of a meltdown.
Yet that is precisely what Jesus is saying in this week’s lesson from Luke: “For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” However, in the original text of the scripture written in Greek, the words are in the gerund form: for everyone asking, seeking, knocking which implies a repetitive action on the part of the one who desires something.
Prayer is not a one and done event. Prayer is conversation. It is on-going. It is repetitive and calls for dialogue as well as listening. God wants us to ask, seek, and knock continually. But also to listen to answers, to appreciate the discovery, and to enjoy the surprise when the door is finally opened.
Like the child who is persistent with the parent, God wants us to be persistent in our requests and in our journeys throughout life. So continue asking, continue seeking, and continue knocking until life’s mysteries and surprises are revealed.
