The Goodness of the Father

The Goodness of the Father – Matt 7:9-11

Jesus had just outlined how a person would get answered prayer in the previous verses.  You have to ask, seek and knock.  Now He illustrates these truths with the following example.  Is there a man among you that if your son asks for bread, would you give him a stone?  Or if he ask for a fish, would you give him a serpent?  Jesus stated that even wicked and evil fathers will make sure their children are fed, clothed, sheltered, protected, happy and prosperous to the best of their ability.   Jesus knew that in every true father there is a strong connection with their children.  This connection motivates the father to give good gifts to their children.  Their generosity is motivated by love and relationship.

If they give gifts to their children how more will our heavenly Father who has no evil in Him give good gifts to them who ask Him.  Jesus reveals here the infinite fatherhood of God and the certainty of answered prayer.  Good is good and He loves to give good gifts to those that ask Him.  The operative word here is ask Him.  Two thoughts here, asking secures God’s attention and secondly it brings focus to what we really want from God and our motivation behind asking.