Category: Praying for wisdom

If you desire wisdom, the question is not whether God also wants you to have it, but rather whether you will ask, seek, and knock for however long it takes.

Jesus said,
“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)

This is a lifestyle that Jesus commends to us, the asking, seeking, knocking way of living. He approves of this approach to daily life. It pleases him, and he responds to it, as shown in the Bible from beginning to end and in the ministry of Jesus to people who came to him asking, seeking, knocking. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Lord, let me recover my sight.” “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her.” “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.”

For those of us who seek wisdom from God with specific questions, it is especially important for us to believe that and practice it. Those who desire wisdom need to ask, seek, and knock persistently. Those qualities need to be our mindset, our approach to life. Moreover, we must know that our gracious God delights in those who live this way.

A life of seeking wisdom

Each of these three ideas is important. They overlap, but are not the same.

At the heart of the mindset that Jesus commends, though, is seeking. Those who seek with all their heart ask and look and knock.

What Jesus commends and what therefore pleases God is an approach to life marked by exploration, learning, discovery—the quest for wisdom from Christ.

The opposite is complacency and self-satisfaction. Feeling we already know what we need to know. Being wise in one’s own eyes. A lack of curiosity. An unwillingness to think and experiment.

Mary the seeker of wisdom from Christ

Mary exemplifies a mindset of seeking more wisdom.

Luke 10:38–42 says, “Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.’” (ESV)

Mary made a choice to put priority on seeking wisdom. She sat at Jesus feet and listened because she wanted wisdom and sought wisdom. Seeking requires effort, discipline, and the setting of priorities. Martha had other commendable priorities, but seeking wisdom was not as important for her as it was for Mary.

A seeker recognizes a golden opportunity, and a golden source, for learning when it comes. Jesus is golden. The Scriptures are golden. The presence of the Holy Spirit is golden.

The scribe who asked for wisdom from Christ

One scribe exemplifies asking Jesus his burning question.

“One of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ And the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.’ And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’” (Mark 12:28–34, ESV)

Studying the Law was this man’s life. For many years he had pondered the hundreds of laws contained in God’s covenant with Israel and recognized that while all God’s laws are important, some are more important, and some must capture the heart of all the laws. But which were these preeminent commands? Fear God? Serve God? Worship God? Trust God?

One’s burning question

When this sudden opportunity came to this scribe to hear Jesus, he recognized something extraordinary. But he didn’t stop at listening and admiring—he asked his burning question. And because he asked, he received an answer. And because he believed what Jesus answered, he received commendation from Jesus.

Seekers have the humility to ask. To ask questions is to admit you do not know everything. To ask questions of God is to show you believe he has the answers. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God.” To ask is to admit you lack.

Those who seek and ask please God. He enjoys those who are on a quest, who love and desire more wisdom, who want to learn and do something for God and with God. Seeking and asking from God glorifies him.

The thief who knocked

The condemned man nailed to the cross beside Jesus exemplifies a person who knocks at the door.

He did not begin that way. At first he joined the other condemned criminal in reviling Jesus (Matthew 27:44). But as he hung on the cross and beheld Jesus and heard his words, he had a change of heart. When the other criminal continued to rail at Jesus, the man “rebuked him, saying, ‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” (Luke 23:40–42)

This condemned man did not say, “if you come into your kingdom,” but rather, “when you come into your kingdom.” He believed. He believed what the sign said, the sign nailed above the head of Jesus. In spite of what was happening to Jesus, the criminal believed that he really was the King of Israel, and not just a human king about to lose any chance at reigning on the throne, but rather the heavenly King, the Christ who would someday rule as the King of God’s kingdom.

And he recognized the opportunity. He wanted something, and he recognized a door by which he might get it.

Knocking

Knocking at a door is a multifaceted metaphor. Doors keep unwelcome people out of a building, or they allow welcome people in. Doors can be locked, and doors can be opened. Thus doors can be opportunities, or disappointments.

But the man wanted in, into the kingdom, and so he knocked. This thief did not merely seek and ask for knowledge and wisdom. He asked Jesus to do something for him. He asked a favor and sought the Lord’s grace.

Such requests please and glorify God, and he smiles on them. Jesus opened the door wide, answering him: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). No instruction, but an open door into a world of wisdom.

Knocking on doors means asking for the opportunity to cooperate with others. Those who knock know they cannot obtain what they desire without others. It means asking for help, permission, entrance. It requires boldness, courage, initiative, assertion. You may be ignored and rejected, but your desire is strong enough to risk that.

We knock on doors on earth with people, institutions, and organizations, but if we do it prayerfully and seeking what we desire ultimately from God, we are actually knocking on heaven’s door.

Takeaways

1. Jesus wants, invites, encourages, and welcomes us to seek. He wants us to assume it is God’s will to answer those who pursue and persevere. God’s default attitude toward those on a quest is to answer, because he is gracious (Exodus 34:6).

2. Therefore there is something in our asking, seeking, and knocking for wisdom that pleases God. And there is something in our having and using wisdom that pleases God. Both fulfill his will and bring him glory.

3. Therefore the Father’s children are called to be inquirers, explorers, learners, discoverers, people on a quest for wisdom and entrance.

4. If you desire wisdom, the question is not whether God also wants you to have it, but rather whether you will have enough faith to keep asking, seeking, and knocking for however long it takes.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)

Do we need to ask God for wisdom when the way forward seems obvious?

If we trust God and persevere, sooner or later he fulfills his promises. We come to a turning point when our hopes near their fulfillment. The company for which you have always wanted to work gives you a job interview. The person in whom you have romantic interest agrees to a date. The big-ticket item you have long wanted to own goes on sale, and you have saved enough to buy it. The university you would love to attend accepts your application.

At times like these, who needs to pray about it? Who needs special wisdom? The way seems clear. And we might fear that God will communicate something we do not want to hear.

But when David came to such a hoped-for turning point, he had a different approach.

When doors open

The turning point for him came when King Saul died in battle. For years the insanely jealous king had been trying to kill David. Suddenly there was a power vacuum in the nation. Who would be the next king? David had been a famous battle hero, the man who slew Goliath, the man who as a military commander had victories wherever he turned. When he returned from battle, the women sang, “Saul has slain his thousands, David his tens of thousands.”

Even more important, years before this turn of events the prophet Samuel had anointed him with oil to be king. At this propitious point, how natural it would have been for David to rely on his own wisdom and pursue his personal desire.

But David had a better approach.

Even when the next step seems obvious, check in with God

Second Samuel 2:1–4 says:

“After this David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?’ And the LORD said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘To which shall I go up?’ And he said, ‘To Hebron.’ So David went up there, and his two wives also, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. And David brought up his men who were with him, everyone with his household, and they lived in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.”

The takeaway from this story is, when turning points come that are the desire of one’s heart, we should still inquire of God for wisdom before we move forward. We need the Lord’s wisdom for matters like what to do, how to do it, and when to do it.

In David’s case, there were no surprises in what God revealed. It made sense to go into Judah because David was of the tribe of Judah; the people would probably look for a new leader; and they would be more likely to choose someone who is present. Furthermore it made sense to move into Hebron because it was a leading city.

Q & A

One further takeaway from this story is what it reveals about God’s answers to questions. God succinctly answered David’s questions and stopped. He gave two answers, each comprising two words (in English).

David: “Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?”

The Lord: “Go up.”

David: “To which shall I go up?”

The Lord: “To Hebron.”

Of course, God works differently in different times and situations, but here at least he did not give many step-by-step instructions. He was willing to tell David which city he should move to, but he did not say that until David in his second question asked specifically. And that was the end of what God wanted to reveal.

The lesson for us is, pray for wisdom specifically. Begin at the beginning without making any assumptions. Then request specifics. In this way, you walk in surrender to the Lord and acknowledge his rule. In his time he will tell you as much wisdom as he wants you to know.

When we cannot wait

Of course in many situations if we do not feel that God has communicated further wisdom to us, we cannot wait. We have to decide and act. When that is the case, pray for wisdom and then make the decision that seems best in light of what you know of God’s will and the wisdom you already have.

Do not be surprised if God does not carry on a conversation with you in answer to your questions. He will communicate his wisdom to you in the way that is best for you, at the time that is best. Trust him and be patient.

However long it takes, in the end learning to seek God for wisdom will enable you to know and trust God more.

Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.’” (ESV)