How much more your Heavenly Father...

You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him. (Matt. 7: 9-11, NLT)

I was having breakfast with my friend Daniel yesterday morning. He was telling me how excited he was that his 23 month old little girl asked for something by name for the first time. His face lit up as he described how she toddled up and clearly asked for an apple. He was plainly delighted to be able to give her exactly what she asked for. As he described the scene I pictured it in my head; her sweet little voice asking innocently, "Apple?" and her father smiling handing it to her. I thought about the closeness that deepened between them during that simple exchange.

It was such a clear principle of prayer that it rocked me back on my heels. The Father delights in giving us good things! The asking is part of the delight. The bond of closeness that deepens between us and our Heavenly Father when we with childlike faith ask for the good things we know He wants for us. There is something about the exchange that draws us deeper into Him, strengthens our relationship, knits our hearts to His.

Now contrast that to the spoiled, demanding child who constantly asks for things he knows he cannot have. It's no fun for me as a dad to have to constantly tell my kids "No." It's certainly no fun for them to constantly hear it. But the problem is that often they don't want the good things we have for them. Many times children want what is not good for them. They know the answer is no but they ask repeatedly. They plead, they whine, they get angry and have a tantrum, all the time knowing the answer is no.

Now think about what that does to the relationship. The Father is grieved because they want these things and refuse to take no for a answer. His heart is heavy because he must say no again and again, and he knows the grief that follows. The child is angry and resentful and says hurtful things to the father.

In those few moments listening to Daniel share the joy of giving his daughter good things when she asks for them, I was confronted with my own asking. Did it bring joy to my Father? Or grief? Do I want the good things He has for me? Or do I stubbornly insist on getting my own way, and then being angry when He must say , "No"? Am I missing out on the closeness with God of simply receiving the good things He wants me to have? After all, it's really the Father's heart the child is asking for. When you have the Father's heart, what's in His hand comes with it.

And we can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. 15And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for. (1 John 5:14-15, NLT)