knocking

8 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.8.NLT

When I read this verse it started me thinking. Why did Jesus use the analogy of a door in answering prayer? I knew of the reference in Revelation 3:20 which says: behold, I stand at the door knocking, if anyone opens to me I will come in and eat with him. Here is the only reference I could find of Jesus doing the knocking. All the rest were an invitation to us to pray in earnest and never give up. I reasoned that Jesus had been a carpenter,  perhaps it was a 'trade' analogy.

I discovered that the word used for knock was a desperation knocking, a determined knocking. He told stories about a man who had visitors in the middle of the night and had no bread. He went to a neighbour's house and knocked asking for bread. The neighbour was reticent, until the persistent man would not go away.

Jesus then told another parable of a widow woman who had land stolen from her by her relatives. She pestered the judge until he defended her. As she persisted, the judge said: 'I fear not God or man but you are driving me nuts (my words), therefore, I will give you what you want'.

I would reckon that Jesus wants people who never give up. Yes!

I stock image.