Wednesday, August 12, 2026

Opening Scripture

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, You are holy and worthy of praise. You are my Father, and I walk humbly in Your love. You are my Shepherd, who guides and protects me. I make myself available to You to accomplish Your will in me. I surrender every attitude, thought, and action to You. You are my Provider, and I trust You to meet my needs. Forgive me when I disappoint You and fall short. Help me to forgive others, that I might reflect Your forgiveness. Show me my sin, so I can confess it to You. Don’t let my feet stray from the path of righteousness. Protect me from Satan’s temptations, lies, and deceptions. Strengthen my faith and trust in You alone. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Matthew 7:7-12

“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.

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

Reflection  

In today’s passage, Jesus continues to teach His disciples about prayer. In the previous chapter of this Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave His followers a “model prayer.” Now, He assures them that God welcomes their prayers and urges them to be consistent and persistent in praying.

Jesus expands on our understanding of prayer in this text. It is more than just “asking” God for things. There is an intimate relational context that nurtures and supports our intercession and interaction. There is also a “seeking” and “knocking” at work here. We are engaged in a mysterious and wonderful adventure with God, actively delighting in His will and walking in His ways to the glory of His name.

The continuous persistence of the designated action is woven into the present tense of the verbs. Keep on asking. Keep on seeking. Keep on knocking. Why? Because the one who keeps asking will receive. The one who keeps seeking will find. The one who keeps knocking will gain access.

But what are we asking, seeking, and knocking for? What is it that we desperately want and need? Is it not more of God Himself?

What happens to us in this prayerful communion with the Almighty? Spiritual insights are gained. Spiritual muscles are strengthened. Spiritual perspectives are adjusted. Spiritual maturity is developed. Spiritual abundance is enjoyed.

Even when our requests are appropriate and in accordance with God’s will, He lovingly answers according to His wisdom. Sometimes the “I have something better planned” response from God is what we really need, and it may have nothing to do with what we think we want.

When we are “knocking,” whom do we hope will open the door?

In Revelation 3:20, Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”

What if the best outcome we could possibly imagine is for us to stop banging on the door of the thing we want and instead open the door of our heart to the Lord Jesus, who is eagerly desiring to settle in and spend time with us?

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

Prayer is a privilege. It is Almighty God’s invitation to engage with Him in an intimate, ongoing relationship. Prayer places us in God’s presence in a posture of awe, gratitude, and dependence. As we become more deeply and fully connected with God, our lives become more meaningful and fruitful. We flourish!

Jesus ends today’s passage with “The Golden Rule.” He tells all who would be citizens of His kingdom that, when in doubt, they should simply treat others the way they themselves would want to be treated. We can do this cheerfully because our Heavenly Father loves to give good gifts to His children.

However, Jesus concludes Matthew 7 (and the Sermon on the Mount) with a sobering declaration. The two verses after today’s reading offer a stern warning. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The road to death and destruction is a broad, congested, multi-lane highway. It is the automatic default route for everyone. Conversely, the pathway to abundant and eternal life with God is the road less traveled. Jesus is the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to God the Father except through Him. Whatever else we may think we need, we need Jesus more!

A few verses later, Jesus cautions, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Knowing Jesus – personally, intimately, experientially – is all that really matters. That is why we pray that His kingdom would come and His will would be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. We desperately desire for people to come to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are invited to participate in the miracle of “new life,” and it certainly should be part of our asking, seeking, and knocking!

Are you a wise person who is “building your house on the rock” by actively putting Jesus’ words into practice?

How will you intentionally commune with the Father today?

This week’s collective prayer: Father, I am asking you to meet specific needs in my life this week in tangible and recognizable ways. I will give you the glory. Amen.

You can do more than pray after you’ve prayed, but you can’t do more than pray until you’ve prayed!