“And I tell you, ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you . . . if you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:9,13 (ESV)
God is a loving Father. This truth is foundational to our perception of prayer.
If we view God as a distant father who is tight-fisted or capricious, our approach tends towards a tentative and faltering request that might or might not be answered.
If, on the other hand, we view God as a loving father who is ready and willing – eager even – to open His hands to His children, we discover our prayers are less stilted and formal and tend more towards that of a child talking to his parent knowing He will supply for our lack, not just monetarily but in less tangible areas like trust, patience to wait on the Lord’s timing, hope for tomorrow, comfort in sorrow. These heavenly gifts have no price tag because they can’t be valued in human terms.
He’s given us the promise. The question is, have we asked?
Prayer: Lord, we often fail to recognize your good gifts. Daily, you pour blessings and mercies upon us and provide for our needs, both tangible and intangible. May we remember to bring all of our cares to you, knowing you can and you will handle them. In your name we pray, Amen.
Thought: “Prayer affirms dependency . . . Prayer tell you that you are not at the center. Prayer calls you to abandon your plans for the wiser plans of another. Prayer flows from a deep personal sense of need and runs towards God’s abundant grace.” Paul Tripp