Ask and You Shall Receive

"Ask, and it shall be given you:
seek, and you shall find:
knock, and it shall be opened to you.
For every one that asketh, receiveth:
and he that seeketh, findeth:
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8

After hearing that reading this morning at Mass, I was reflecting upon why it is we must ask when God knows all things before we ask.  He wants us to ask certainly, for He tells us so clearly.  Yet does He not know all things?

I think the reason has more to do with ourselves.  We do not need to ask for God's sake, but for our sake.

If we ask, we recognize that we are not gods unto ourselves, that we cannot do all things, that we must be dependent upon Him.  Whether He answers us yea or nay, whether He provides what we want or what He knows we need, our act of asking requires that we open our hearts.  The more we open them, the more we will receive, in abundance, flowing over.