Questions that Jesus asked.
Matthew 7:9-10
Which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?
Having hosted a Christian radio show for over 8 years one of the main prayer requests that comes in consistently have to do with provision. Food shelter and clothing, the bare minimum, the basic needs. People are always worried about what they will eat and whether they will have something to feed their children with.
While addressing this issue Jesus asks some questions that also paint a clear picture of the kind of relationship we should have with God the father. In fact before He asks the questions He gives us a very simple yet powerful principle;
Matthew 7:7-8
7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.
When you are in need ask and whatever you need will be given to you and when you find a closed door, what do you do? You knock with the expectation that the door will be opened to you. But to make this even sweeter Jesus uses the illustration of a son and a father. The father’s desire is to see to it that his son is provided for, that they have what they need. No matter how evil a father is, they would not hand their son a stone when the son asks for bread or a snake when they asked for a fish. That is an illustration we can all relate to and using that illustration, Jesus then reminds us that God is our Father in heaven, He is the perfect Father and you cannot compare the earthly fathers with the heavenly Father who is perfect. How much more will He give us what we need when we ask?
He is a good Father and everything He has to offer is good because nothing bad or evil can come from Him. He says He has a good plan for your life but we have to ask. We have to be in relationship with Him. We have to relate to Him as a Father.
Do not worry about how your needs will be met, ask the Father in faith and He will give it to you. Do not fret when you come to a closed door, do not try to break it down, simply knock and God the Father will ensure that it is opened for you.
He is the perfect Father and if we who are evil know how to give good things to our children, how much more our perfect Father in heaven?