Dad Gifts
As a teenager, my brother became obsessed with skateboarding. It didn’t matter that he only had a makeshift skateboard—he constantly tweaked it to keep it rolling. As he worked on his board in the driveway, he’d tell me what he really wanted: a genuine Santa Cruz skateboard.
One day, Dad loaded the whole family into the car for a trip to SkateWorks. Walking into the small shop, I couldn’t believe how many boards there were. Colorful boards displayed in horizontal slots like oversized louver shades were crammed floor to ceiling. Toby picked a new Santa Cruz skateboard with new wheels and trucks for his birthday. He was over the moon and Dad was strutting like a proud turkey. He was buying his son a fabulous gift.
Dads do that, right? They love to give good gifts to their kids. It’s a universal dad-thing: Dad is happy when his kid is happy.
Jesus knew this, which is why His words in Matthew 7 make so much sense. “Which one of you, if your son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?” I can imagine the crowd shaking their heads at these words. Maybe a few whispered, “My Dad wouldn’t do that.” Exactly. A good Father gives good gifts to his children.
With that fact established, Jesus continued. “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 7:11-12 ESV) To be clear, the good things Jesus is referring to are salvation from sin and eternal life. He had just explained that if we seek God and ask Him to come into our lives as our Leader and Forgiver, He will—making us children of God. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Romans 8:14-16 ESV).
Unfortunately, not all dads strut around giving gifts out of love. You may not have a dad who lavishes gifts on you. Or you may have a father who prefers to give gifts rather than love. Some dads disappoint their children. But our Heavenly Father never disappoints.
If you struggle to believe your Heavenly Father loves you and has good things for you, be assured! He wants to give you good gifts like salvation and eternal life. But it doesn’t stop there. Once you are a child of God, you are also a co-heir with Christ, meaning you have access to God. Go ahead, climb into His lap and talk with Him. He’s listening with Dad-ears. (Prov 15:29)
Questions for Reflection:
1. In what ways do you struggle to believe in God as a loving Father who delights in you? Will you ask your Heavenly Father to help you believe?
2. If you could climb into your Heavenly Father’s lap right now, what would you whisper in His ear? What would He whisper into yours?
