Keepin' on keepin' on...

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." --Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." -- Matthew 7:7 (NLT)

This scripture verse from Matthew is one of my favorite. I have it written on little pieces of paper and stuck throughout my house as a reminder to pray. Open my jewelry box, there it is. Open my day planner, there it is. Actually, all it says on those little pieces of paper is: Remember to ASK. And it does cause me to remember.

Last night as I got into bed I saw my devotion book. I'm a few days behind but I skipped ahead to the day's lesson and read about "Supersized Prayers" and Matthew 7:7. It reminded me that if I ask God for something I need to believe it will happen. Because without that faith, what's the point in asking. It also reminded me to pray big, for what I want and what I have, to praise as much as I pray.

I thought about that as I pulled out my prayer journal, which was a bit dusty. And I started writing. Yes, I've been praying a lot, as always, but I thought about how maybe I need to be much more specific in my prayers. And much more of a believer that God will actually hear my prayers and answer them.

I like the New Living Translation of Matthew 7:7 - it says "keep on asking". So that's what I'll do. I'll keep on. I'll keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking. For that job that will keep us in our house for one more month. For that job that I want when I'm exactly ready for it. For the people I love to be painfree at this exact moment. For the specifics and for the broadstrokes. I know God knows it all but I also know He wants to hear it from me. He also wants to hear my praise and I cannot forget that.