friend, father, and kinsman redeemer

"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." Matthew 7:7-8

John Piper wrote the following about the above passage of scripture:

Three times he invites us to pray — or, you could say, if you will hear it lovingly, three times he commands us to pray — to ask him for what we need. It’s the number of times that he invites us that gets our attention... The repetition is meant to say, “I mean this.” I want you to do this. Ask your Father for what you need. Seek your Father for the help you need. Knock on the door of your Father’s house so he will open and give you what you need. Ask, seek, knock. I invite you three times because I really want you to enjoy your Father’s help."

There is something about asking for what I need that I resist and struggle with. There are a couple reasons for this I think.

1. Being fatherless myself, the concept of asking a dad for something is lost on me. I have seen others close to me who have fathers in their lives but so many of those relationships are poor models of limitless trust and abounding love. Sadly it's too often the opposite. A dad's love is only theoretical to me; it has not been part of my earthly experience. The love Jesus describes as having with his Father blows my mind because Jesus says we through Him we can share in their love (John 17).
2. Beyond fathers, I think it's hard for me to ask for what I need because it would be admitting I need something. That might sound dumb at first reading, but upon some reflection, I think I have tried very hard to not be dependent on anyone which is impractical and isolating at best and prideful and haughty at it's worst. If I don't need anything from anyone else I can't be disappointed; I don't have to risk their rejection or feel the pain if they fail. Also, if I don't need anything from anyone, I have no obligation to "repay" their help because I never asked for it begin with. 

In its best light you could read that and say "She is very independent" but I myself know there is more fear and sorrow in what is written there than there is strength. No one is born independent. We all relied completely and needed someone else for everything from the most beginning moments of our lives. Independence, in all its forms, is learned.

Vulnerability. Dependence. Surrender. These words are not sweet to the flesh but they are to the Spirit.

Ask expecting to receive.
Seek knowing you will find.
Knock assured the door will be opened.

A few months ago I pleaded with tears one dark night and begged God to be my friend, my Father, and my kinsman redeemer. Each of these things is significant, and each of us needs these things, and God is all these things and more to those who ask, seek, and knock.

Friend - John 15:15 "No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."
Father - 1 John 3:1 "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him."
Matthew 7:11 "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!"
Kinsman redeemer - Revelation 21:4-6 "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment."

Ask, seek, and knock on the door knowing your friend, Father, and kinsman redeemer will answer and has answered before you asked! xo