“For my birthday I’m going to ask for a horse.”  We were having lunch when my (almost) 7 year old announced what she wanted for her birthday.  “Me, too,” chimed in her (nearly) 5 year old sister.  “I’m going to ask for a ranch,” countered the elder.  “I’m going to ask for a ranch and horses and a Harley Davidson for Daddy,” countered our middle child.  As they continued with their battle of the birthday request, I quietly fetched two bottles of salad dressing from the fridge.  Both girls looked at me strangely (which is common around our house) as if to say, “Dad, why are you giving me a bottle of ranch dressing?”  “Look, it’s not even your birthday and I have already given you what you asked for!” 

How awesome would it be if I was able to give them a real ranch and horses?  If my daughters were older, I was wealthier, and I sensed that they would use a ranch to glorify God, I would be delighted to give them what they want…and that would be good.  However, no 7 or 5 year old is ready for the responsibility of owning a ranch, so giving them what they asked for in this instance would not be good.  Call it smarts or rationalization or good fatherly sense, but we parents seem to have a built-in notion about what gifts would be good for our kids and which wouldn’t.

 In Matthew 7:11 Jesus indicates that our Heavenly Father has the same built-in sensor.  He knows what is good for us, and He delights in giving us good gifts, when we ask for them.  When Luke writes these verses he links them to Jesus’ model prayer (Luke 11), and both Matthew and Luke remind us to ask, seek, and knock as we bring our needs to our Heavenly Father.  James writes that every good and perfect gift comes down from our Heavenly Father who does not change.  The Father of whom Jesus speaks in Matthew and Luke is the same Father who still desires to give His children good gifts, if we will ask according to His will. 

Have you brought your requests to your Heavenly Father, trusting Him to give you what is good and perfect in His sight?

 Submitted by Earl Smith

I Have A Question

Would You Pray With Me?