Luke 11:10-13 (ESV)
For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
The above words of Jesus are in response to the request of the disciples for Him to teach them to pray, like John the Baptist taught his disciples to pray. After telling them to be persistent in prayer, Jesus gives them this word picture about how an earthly father cares for their child. Jesus maintains that if an earthly father can take care of an earthly children, in a compassionate manner, so even greater will our heavenly Father care for us. That is such a reassuring thought. God is not this mean overlord that wants to club us with His sovereign scepter, every time we come before Him He is the God who compassionately loves us and wants to care for us. It is important to note that in the illustration he talks about a son asking for food to eat. The father is willing to oblige this necessity for his son. Jesus does not use the illustration of a son asking for an X-box, a car or a down payment on a house. Just as a healthy parenting father would give a child what they need, and not necessarily what they want, so, too, our heavenly Father. God wants to give us good things. And everything good we have was given to us by a loving Father.
James 1:17 (ESV)
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
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