You didn't expect Jesus to talk about gifts for your children, I venture! He asks some blunt questions to which the answers should be very obvious. If your child is hungry and asks for bread, do you tease him by offering him a stone? If the child asks for a fish, do you hand him a snake?

Clearly you love your child too much to be so cruel. (Except, some news reports nowadays make me wonder). If you are a real parent with natural love for your offspring, you far sooner bend over backwards to grant your children's desires, especially if they ask for something they need, like food.

Swiftly Jesus brings in His punchline; if you, as falable humans, prone to do evil, yet you give good gifts for your children, how much more will your loving Heavenly Father, who is perfect, give good gifts to you - His spiritual children when you ask Him?

This puts a whole new light on God's love for us, doesn't it? If you haven't had a doting, loving parent yourself, recall some other parent you have watched who kept their eyes on their child, and the instant the child cried out or asked for something that parent was reaching out to pick the child up, hold them close, and give them what they desired. Unless it was harmful, of course, like gravel or sharp objects.

If you are such a parent, you just love to provide good gifts for your children. Now picture God ready to pick you up and respond to you just as eagerly, Even to bless you with many gifts for you, and gifts for your children.

Really! Our Heavenly Father watches us that closely. The instant we pray with a sincere cry of need or trust in Him, He's scooping us up and responding to us! Doesn't that just thrill you through and through?