A Father Gives Good Gifts

A Father Gives Good Gifts

You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. –Matthew 7:9-11

Recently there was a prayer service for someone I know who is fighting a vicious cancer. How I would love to see God work a miracle and rid her body of the disease that is slowly robbing her of life! I love her and her family, and because I know firsthand how awful and painful it is to watch someone you love die, I don’t want them to have to endure it.

Surely we can ask God for what we want. We can freely tell him that what we want is for those we love to be healed. We want a job. We want our marriages to be restored. We know he’s our heavenly Father and desires to give good gifts to those who ask him. The problem is, because we are so limited in our understanding, we don’t always know what is good.

I want to give my son, Matt, good things. But that is not always what he asks for. He wants chocolate Cocoa Pebbles, and I give him Shredded Wheat. I know, better than he, what he needs. He wants new basketball shoes and I want him to learn to be content with what he has. I have his long-term best interests in mind. I’m trying to shape his body and his mind and his character, so I don’t always give him what he asks for.

And I recognize that as much as I might want God to give me what I ask for, I trust that my heavenly Father knows what is best. Sometimes his “good gifts” don’t appear that way to my limited perspective. He gives me broccoli when I want ice cream. Sometimes he uses frustrating circumstances, unwarranted criticism, or disappointing delays to develop in me the good gifts of patience and humility. He calls me to trust him, to know that he is my wise and loving Father, and my ultimate good is his heart’s greatest desire.

Would you be willing to stop pounding on heaven’s door, to stop begging for God to give you what you believe is best, and to open your hands to receive the good gifts your heavenly Father wants to give to you?

Good Father, I know you are committed to making me holy, more than just happy or healthy. Open my eyes to my greatest need—more of you. Open my heart and hands to receive the good gifts you want to give me.

DIGGING DEEPER