“If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give what is good to those who ask him?” - Mat 7:11 (NIV)
All parents know the joys of giving in to the needs of their children. Sometimes of course there might be requests that are off course and the parent would demur. For not every child’s request might be appropriate. But wherever possible any parent is most eager to meet the needs of his children.
Believers are in a privileged position that we have a Father we can approach and gently lodge our requests assured our needs will be met. This we do in full confidence for He is our Father and has encouraged us so. “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
There are cases where some of us scarred with bad memories of our earthly fathers we fear approaching God. We should not hesitate because there are several shining characteristics about our Father in heaven. He is kind and merciful. “But you O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness and truth” (Psalm 86:15). He is filled with compassion. “Gracious is the Lord and righteous, Yes our God is compassionate” (Psalm 116:5). He is full of goodness. “The Lord’s loving kindness indeed never cease, for his compassions never fail” (Lamentations 3:20).
When a child has grown up in household where the father bears the above characteristics it will be odd of him to turn elsewhere in a time of need. To do so would only show how little he knows of his father. And as believers the prophet Isaiah points out, “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget but I will not forget you. “Behold I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands...” (Isaiah 49:15-16).
Today, may we not withhold our needs from our Father in heaven by taking them elsewhere. Instead let us go direct to Him who awaits us with open arms. “Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore he waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice. How blessed are those who long for him” (Isaiah 30:18).
Prayer for today: Lord Father in heaven, today I come to you will full confidence of your love and kindness and present to you all my needs knowing you have met them according to your eternal goodness.
