The Narrow Way - Week 6 Ask, Seek, Knock. Matthew 7:7–11

Welcome back to The Narrow Way.

If you’re new here, I’m a follower of Jesus pursuing professional golf and ultimately the PGA TOUR. Golf is a huge part of my life, but more importantly, it’s one of the mission fields God has put in front of me. Through this series, I’m sharing what Jesus is teaching me as I try to follow Him on and off the golf course.

Last week we talked about worry. I was fresh off Q-School, I didn’t get the result I went there for, and naturally there were a lot of questions about what comes next.

Some of those questions are still there. I know I’m supposed to keep playing golf. I know this game is still a mission field for me, and I’m already preparing for the next big tournament.

But the question I’ve been asking has changed a little.

Instead of constantly asking, “God, what’s next?” I’ve started asking, “God, what have You already put in front of me?”

Maybe I don’t need to spend all of my energy trying to create the next door. Maybe I need to pay attention to the ones that are already open.

Ask, Seek, Knock

In Matthew 7, Jesus says:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

That’s one of those verses that sounds really good by itself. Ask God for something, keep asking, and eventually He’ll give it to you.

Except that’s not really what Jesus is saying.

Remember where we are in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus has been teaching His followers an entirely different way to live. He’s talked about being salt and light, loving our enemies, how to pray, where our treasure is, worry, and even how we look at and judge the people around us.

Then He tells us to ask, seek and knock.

This isn’t Jesus handing us a formula for getting everything we want. He’s teaching us what it looks like to live dependent on our Father.

And He explains it by talking about a parent and a child.

Jesus basically says, if your child asks you for bread, would you give him a stone? If he asks for a fish, would you hand him a snake? Of course not. Then Jesus points us toward our Heavenly Father and says, essentially, if imperfect earthly parents know how to give good things to their children, how much more does your Father in Heaven?

That changes this passage for me.

The promise isn’t that God will always give me exactly what I ask for. The promise is that I can keep coming to Him because He is good.

Trust me, I have plenty I’m asking Him for right now. I want to keep playing professional golf. I want the resources and opportunities to keep doing this. I want to get better. I want to play on the PGA TOUR. There are also some things Sarah and I are praying through right now that I would love for God to make incredibly obvious.

But maybe asking, seeking and knocking also means trusting Him enough to accept that His answer might look different than mine.

I’m not just trusting that a door will open. I’m trusting the Father who knows which doors should.

The Story Behind the Painting

This weekend Sarah and I got to experience something really cool.

We went to the newly restored John Henry House in Franklin for opening day to see the work of our friend Dane Howard, the one and only Tennessee Cowboy. It was awesome. We walked around together, supported our friend and got to see something Dane had poured so much of himself into. One of my favorite parts was the QR code next to each piece of art. You could scan it and actually hear the story behind the paintings.

That completely changed the experience.

You could already appreciate the art, but then you’d hear the story and notice things you had completely missed. You understood where it came from, what inspired it and what it meant to Dane.

Sarah and I loved it. There’s something really special about getting to watch someone you care about bring something they’ve worked incredibly hard on to life.

Later, I kept thinking about those QR codes and how often I look at one piece of my own life and think I understand the whole story. Q-School didn’t go how I wanted, so naturally my brain wants answers. What does this mean? What’s next? What do I need to do?

But I don’t have the QR code for my life. I don’t get to scan something and have God explain exactly why something happened or how it connects to what comes next.

I can see the piece hanging in front of me. God knows the story that goes with it.

And maybe that’s part of what Jesus is teaching here. I can keep coming to my Father. I can ask Him. I can seek Him. I can knock. But at some point I also have to trust that the Father I’m asking is good, even when I don’t fully understand His answer yet.

What’s Already Open?

Professional golf trains you to constantly look for the next opportunity. The next tournament, the next qualifier, the next improvement, the next step toward where you want to go.

I’m still pursuing all of that.

But I don’t want to become so focused on creating the next opportunity that I miss what God has already put right in front of me.

My marriage. My relationships. Fellowship with other believers. My health and fitness. My golf game. The people God has already placed around me.

There are also some things I’m praying through that I’m not ready to share publicly yet. I’m learning there’s value in letting God work on something before immediately telling everybody about it.

Over these next six months, I want to steward what He has already given me really well. I want a stronger marriage, deeper relationships and real fellowship. I want to get stronger, healthier and become a better golfer so I’m completely prepared when the next big tournament comes.

Most importantly, I want to know Jesus more through all of it.

I’m going to keep asking, seeking and knocking. I’m going to pray big prayers, pursue opportunities and work my butt off.

I just don’t want to spend all my time pounding on a door that isn’t opening while ignoring one God has already opened beside me.

Pray With Me

Jesus, thank You that we can come to You with what’s on our hearts. Teach us to ask, seek and knock, but more than anything, help us trust the Father we’re asking. Give us eyes to see what You’ve already put in front of us and faith to trust You when we don’t understand the whole story yet. Help us be faithful today and trust You with whatever comes next.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

Take It to the Tee

Here’s the question I’m taking with me this week:

Am I asking God to open another door while ignoring one that’s already open?

Matthew 7 isn’t telling me to ask God enough times until He finally gives me what I want. Jesus is reminding me that I have a Father I can keep coming back to.

So ask Him. Seek Him. Knock on the door. Tell Him what you want and what you’re afraid of. Ask for the big thing.

Then trust Him enough to let Him be the Father.

I don’t want to get so focused on where I’m trying to go that I miss what Jesus is doing right where I am.

I can see the piece hanging in front of me.

God knows the story that goes with it.

Know Him and make Him more known.

See you next week.