Our Heavenly Father
Saturday, September 5, 2009
by Dr. Paul Chappell
"Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
Matthew 7:9-11
Just as good fathers are the foundation of healthy homes, our Heavenly Father is the foundation of our spiritual lives.
Famous author Erma Bombeck is known for her humorous writings, but one of her more solemn stories struck readers and made them think. Here is what she wrote:
"One morning my father didn't get up and go to work. He went to the hospital and died the next day. I hadn't thought that much about him before. He was just someone who left and came home and seemed glad to see everyone at night. He opened the jar of pickles when no one else could. He was the only one in the house who wasn't afraid to go into the basement by himself.
He cut himself shaving, but no one kissed it or got excited about it. It was understood when it rained, he got the car and brought it around to the door. When anyone was sick, he went out to get the prescription filled. He took lots of pictures...but he was never in them.
Whenever I played house, the mother doll had a lot to do. I never knew what to do with the daddy doll, so I had him say, 'I'm going off to work now,' and threw him under the bed. The funeral was in our living room and a lot of people came and brought all kinds of good food and cakes. We had never had so much company before. I went to my room and felt under the bed for the daddy doll. When I found him, I dusted him off and put him on my bed. He never did anything. I didn't know his leaving would hurt so much."
Fathers can sometimes be under-appreciated, yet there is the understanding that a good father provides for his family, protects them from harm, and does all he can to help his children. Fathers are the foundational rock in solid families. And as we see in our verses today, God compares Himself to a good father.
"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" (Matthew 7:11). If your child were to ask you for help, would you deny them? If they needed food, would you give them a stone? God is saying, "You provide for your children, and they depend on you. Even so, I, your Heavenly Father, will provide for you. Depend on Me."
Sometimes we can be too independent when it comes to our needs. We are taught to be self-reliant, to do things for ourselves, yet there are many situations in life that we cannot fix, problems we cannot solve. Those are times when we must remember that God is our Heavenly Father and He will provide for us.
My children know that if they need anything, they can always come to me for help. I am their father, and because I love them I want to help them. Do we view God the same way? Do we seek His help for our every need? Do we rely solely upon Him for our provisions?
What need do you have right now? What financial miracle, physical healing, or family crisis do you need taken care of today? God is reaching out to you, wanting you to trust Him. As Christ says in our verses, "how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?"
Spend time right now to seek God's help. God wants you to turn to Him, ask Him, and trust Him to provide for you in your time of need.
