Matthew 7:9-11

9 Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (NIV Bible)

Most fathers have a natural desire to give good gifts to their children. If their children ask for a fish, do they give him a snake? Of course not! If they ask for bread, will they give them a stone? No way! God, who is the Model Parent, has placed within each one the natural desire to father/mother our children. While this may have been God's perfect plan before our fall in the Garden, today because of our sinful nature, and the sinful nature of those around us, our ability to express these parental instincts can become damaged or distorted in varying degrees. But the truth remains, whether we can express our love in tangible ways or not, that deep down within each one of us, we all carry in our heart a desire to give good gifts to our children.

I know that I have disappointed my own children on many occasions and will probably do so more in the future, yet with all my frailties and faults, there is nothing more that I want than to bless my kids with good gifts. I really want them to have God's best in their lives because I am their father and I love them with my limited father's heart. I believe that God has given each one of us parental instincts in order that we might identify in a small way with how He feels towards His creation. As the Perfect Father, His love is not marred by sin or tainted by selfish motives. While ours is a limited father's love, His is a limitless Father’s love! If we, though we are evil, want God's best for our children, HOW MUCH MORE does He want the best for us? Pull out a picture of your child out of your wallet and see if it makes you smile. Now think about the grin on your Heavenly Father's face when He looks at you!

If we could capture the natural affection that we feel towards our children and multiply it by infinity, perhaps then, we could begin to comprehend the incredible Father?s heart that God has towards us. He wants to give us so much MORE than our earthly parents ever could, if we would simply come to Him in childlike faith and ask Him!

PRAYER

Father, I confess that I have related to You, in the same way that I have related to my earthly father. I thought you would treat me the same way that my earthly father treated me. Help me to see the truth that You love me MUCH MORE than my earthly father ever could and you delight in giving me good gifts MUCH MORE than my earthly father ever could. So Father, I come to you today with my needs, because I know that You love me and want to give me good gifts! Bless me today Papa! In the name of Your beloved son Jesus I pray, AMEN.

Please remember to share this daily devotion with your friends, and if anyone wants to receive ‘Grace for Today’ directly then please just sign up via our website at www.exchangechurchbelfast.com

Comment

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could.