The Bad Dad
You’ve see him. Maybe at the checkout line at Walmart. He is ignoring his toddler’s pleas for candy. Until he’s not. He comes to life and yells at the child, jerks her up, yells at her.
It’s the bad dad.
Yet . . . even with him, if YOU were to turn around and make an ugly comment about the child, this dad would likely be the first to defend her.
Don’t mess with his kid.
Jesus understood this. He knows how we work (we’re all the bad dad sometimes). That even on our best days, we’re not very good.
But even on our worst days, we inherently want to protect our child from outside threats.
The Good Dad
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Matthew 7:11
As we study and memorize Matthew 7:11 this week, let’s remember this truth about God: God’s gifts are ALWAYS good (James 1:17).
His gifts may not always seem good at the moment (discipline doesn’t usually “feel” good, even though it is good for us, Hebrews 12:9-11).
But we can trust that God will always be good.
God is the perfect parent.
His Perfect Gifts
So go to God for what you need. Ask. Seek. Knock. He’s a door, not a wall (Matthew 7:7-8).
How many ways did Jesus have to say it? Over and over He drove home this message: Go to the Father when you are in trouble. He’s a safe Dad (Matthew 7:9-10). He’s got your back.
When we ask, we receive. We get God’s protection. We get His lavish gift of grace. We even get His very Spirit placed inside us (read the parallel passage, Luke 11:13).
We’ve all seen good dads. A new father holding his precious child for the first time is a beautiful sight to see.
And if we know this is beautiful?
How much more lovely is the view of God holding us in His hands!
How you seen exceptional parents? Have you overcome being raised by bad parents? How do you experience God as Father? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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