Ask, Seek, Knock

My thoughts today are inspired by Austin's sister's painting (Bailey Gunther, who is currently serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the North Carolina, Charlotte mission). Bailey is an amazing artist and this has to be one of my favorites. There are certain words that come to my mind when I look at this little girl praying: innocence, purity, trust, love, hope, faith, sincerity. Prayer for her seems so natural and right and good. She doesn't look like she's doing it out of a sense of duty, but because she wants to speak to her Father in Heaven. Perhaps it is because she is still a child, and being aware that she is a child, is naturally humble. "As soon as we learn the true relationship in which we stand toward God (namely, God is our Father and we are His children), then at once prayer becomes natural and instinctive on our part" (Bible Dictionary).

This picture reminds me that, while I may be an adult, I am and always will be a child of my Heavenly Father. As an adult I am easily swayed by thoughts of "I'm right," "I know more than . . . " etc. Looking at this picture reminds me that I need to be like this child in my attitude towards my Father in heaven and towards prayer. Prayer is an essential part of deepening and improving the closeness of my relationship with Him. I think it is easy to feel that God is far away, that He's in "heaven," where ever that is. We know He loves us, but how can we really know Him? That's where prayer has changed everything for me. I talk to Him, I ask Him questions, I tell him about my day and about my worries, and ask Him for help with the things I have to do tomorrow. It is in those moments of true, sincere prayer that I feel close to Him because I feel so loved and peaceful and comforted; I know that whatever comes tomorrow, I won't have to do it alone. The more of myself that I offer to Him, the more He offers to me in every aspect of my life. With each conversation/prayer, each answered question and each witnessed little miracles (or even large ones), I come to know Him better.

"Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"

Matthew, Chapter 7, Verses 7-11    

Even as a mortal, imperfect person, I do my best to give good things to my children when they ask for them. Consider then a perfect Heavenly Father who, when asked for good things, will give them. The formula, as described in those scriptures, is to: ASK / SEEK / KNOCK. All of those words are verbs. That means there is an action required! For me (a literature nerd), that means RESEARCH - asking questions, seeking knowledge from reputable sources, and knocking at heaven's gates through simple, sincere prayer. The promise is that I (and every other person who uses these steps) will RECEIVE, FIND, and the door will OPEN.