Asking God for gifts

Dear friend

Many families have the tradition at Christmas of children writing letters to Santa. Normally the little ones will compose a wish list of the presents they would like to receive. I suppose it helps parents know what to get and hopefully avoid a gift gaff.

There are obvious parallels with us going to our Heavenly Father with a wish list of blessings we seek from Him. One big difference is that unlike Santa - and maybe some parents - our Father in Heaven knows what we need before we ask. We should remember, though, that as part of our earthly experience, we need to have the capacity to choose, even to choose what we want. We need that full agency. So it must be frustrating for God if we keep asking for the wrong things, or just don't ask but expect. He will not impose righteous choices on us. We must ask before the gift is given.

This concept is impressively illustrated by the Lord Himself during the superlative Sermon on the Mount, as recorded in the New Testament, Matthew 7:7-11.

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

There is a certainty about the promises of asking, seeking and knocking. The receiving, finding and opening applies to everyone. However, we likely know from personal experience that we don't always get what we want. We may be asking amiss, or the time may be wrong. But we can be confident in our God's gracious giving. He is always ready to open the windows of heaven for the blessings to rain upon us - so long as it is right for us.

Whether it's Christmas or any other time, we may not be seeking gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh on our wish list, but among our righteous requests there could be peace, hope and joy.

Samuel.