Genesis 18:16-33, 19; Matthew 6:25-34, 7:1-14; Psalms 8:1-9; Proverbs 2:6-15

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heave give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)

It’s amazing to me how so much of the Bible hits different once you become a parent. Before I had children, I of course had an understanding of what these verses meant: God is our Heavenly Father, the one who made us and sustains us. He is our creator who takes care of us. Yes, of course, makes sense. Now that I am a mother, with a living, breathing being reliant solely on me and my care, when I come across comparisons such as “like a woman in childbirth” or “a weaned child with his mother” I relate a little more deeply than I did at any stage previous. I know the agony of childbirth; I’m still nursing a small human. My son is my everything, and even in the moments where I am feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated, and just need a break, I can still be comforted and encouraged by one little open mouth kiss, or one minute of snuggles. It is the joy of my life to be His mom, and I hope he always knows that I feel that way about him.

With parenting a 1 year old, I also find myself comparing his behavior to how I think God must see my behavior. There are nights I cry out, asking the Lord why I haven’t received what I need, why I am allowed to stay in a state of limbo or sadness or uncertainty. I’m reminded of when I tell my son I need a minute to fulfill a request, and he starts yelling “na na na na na” (his version of no), or when I lay him on his changing table for that last change before bed, and he starts crying his adorable crocodile tears. He knows that he will feel immensely better when he has a fresh diaper on and his behind is clean, but he hates going through the process to get to that moment of relief, satisfaction, and comfort.

How many times do I do the same? The Lord says wait a minute, and I start crying, asking Him why he no longer cares for me, and instead of waiting, I try to figure out a way to get it for myself. Or He says no, you can’t have that. You’ll be hurt/it’s not for you/I have something else in mind. And I stand back and start with a massive tantrum. I can almost see Him gentle parenting me–do you need to take a minute and breathe? It looks like you’d having a hard time, would you like Father God to help you process through it? When I think about Him caring for me like I care for my toddler, I always feel weirdly better–and immensely understood. As the parent, I have so much more context and knowledge than my little guy does of what’s best in the world. I’m parented by the creator–He knows more about me and my life than I could ever fathom or understand.

Which is why I love the verses above. So often we think that if we aren’t receiving something from the Lord, He must be “holding out” on us. He isn’t listening, He doesn’t care. He must not want to give it to us. Instead, Jesus remind us that our Father gives the best gifts possible. If my son asked for the moon, I would do everything in my power to make it happen for him. If he asks for a fish, He’s going to get exactly what he needs, plus anything else I know would complement it. If I would give my child everything and anything he needed and asked for, how much more will my creator provide to me? If I’m living in His will, turning to Him everyday and trusting His sovereignty in my life, won’t he give me everything I ask for and more? As His children, even when we aren’t living in His will for our life, He’s still going to listen and respond to us when we turn to Him. We’re his kids and He is the perfect Father! He won’t leave a single one of us without his Spirit and guidance.

What are you asking Him for today? Is it something you’ve wanted for a long time? Is it something you perceive as adding value, safety, or joy to your life? Do you feel like the Lord is listening? Instead of asking the Lord why and when and how you will receive from Him, first ask if He has something better in store. Then ask for His will and His gifts over your own. When we recognize that our heavenly Father gives the best gifts, then when we don’t get something we asked for we can know it wasn’t in our best interest. But know that when you ask, how much more you will receive. The Lord loves you and created you, and today he wants to give you the greatest desires of your heart, the best gift He could possibly give.