Read
“Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?”
Matthew 7:9-10
Reflect
“What are we having for dinner tonight, Dad?” Tom had just come home from his Saturday Little League practice, and he was already hungry for the evening meal.
“Well, Tom, what do you want?”
“Uh, we haven’t had fish and chips in a long time. How about that?”
His Dad smiled. “Absolutely, Tom. Fish and chips it is!”
The few hours passed quickly, and it was time for dinner. Tom sat down at the table, and a large metal plate cover sat on the table in front of him. “I thought we were having fish and chips,” Tom said.
“I know,” his Dad answered. “But I did even better!”
Tom lifted the cover to reveal the plate, and he gasped. On it was a snake coiled around a stone. “I thought you said this was better!”
Clearly, Tom is right. When you’re hungry, cold, hardened rock and a poisonous snake aren’t nearly as good as fish and chips. And I can’t think of any Dad who would do anything as terrible as Tom’s Dad did. If my Dad promised fish and chips, I’m quite sure that’s what I’d have gotten, and you’re probably no different.
In this story, Jesus is pointing out that our earthly fathers, who love us as much as earthly fathers know how to love, aren’t even close to as wonderful as our Heavenly Father, who loves us perfectly and truly knows how to give us good things. When we ask for things from Him, He is even better at giving us what we need.
Today, think of things in your life that you genuinely need, and put those things into God’s hands. If you truly trust Him, the Lord will never let you down.
Reflection copyright © 2021 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
