Editor’s note: The following is the debut column from D.A. Slinkard, who will be writing intermittently on faith-based topics for The News Courier. The commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of The News Courier and its staff. We welcome editorial submissions from area church leaders for our weekly Religion page. Those who would like to submit a column, story or photo should email those to emailed to adam@athensnews-courier.com. Submissions should be kept to no more than 500 words and not be considered inflammatory to the faith and/or values of others. We reserve the right to edit submissions for space and content.

It is an honor to be writing for The News Courier. I hope this weekly column is as good for your life as it will be for mine, and I hope we are able to grow in our faith together.

As I brainstormed for my first topic, I was drawn to the book of Matthew, chapter 7 verses 7-8. Here you will find what I believe is an important message the Bible has for us, yet too often we simply overlook what the good book tells us:

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. … For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This scripture seems simple enough, but why are these three things the hardest to do? We ask Christ into our life, we seek him and he is found, we knock and he answers. Yet before we know it, we creep backward into our old habits. We go from having the “faith of a mustard seed” to forgetting to ask, seek, knock. Why?

I want you to think about the things going on right now in your life. I want you to be honest with yourself when you answer my next question. Are you doing what the Bible says or are you trying to go at this alone?

I can tell you I know I need to be more dependent upon God. I know that I need to seek him because just like the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us to first seek his Kingdom and Righteousness (Matthew 6:33). Yet too many of us “adults” seemingly act like teenagers as it seems we cannot admit when we are wrong.

In the week ahead, I urge you to take the time to pray and meditate upon the scripture above. I want you to reflect upon times in your life in which you successfully asked, you sought and knocked and God was there.

Now, if you’ve been asking, seeking, knocking recently and you feel like you’re not being heard, I want you to know you have been heard. The man upstairs heard you and this is exactly why you’re reading these words on this paper at this very moment.

We need to take the time to look around us and understand that God is ALWAYS here. Even at our darkest hour if we search hard enough we will find him. If we cry out loud enough, he will hear us. If we knock long enough, he will answer.

If there are decisions or questions you have been pondering with God, rest assured he has heard you loud and clear. I ask that you take the time to draw nearer to God in the coming days. I challenge you to reach out to God by doing three words — ask, seek, knock.

— Slinkard is the general manager of Staples in Athens. He and his wife Mindy attend Round Island Baptist Church.