20. Good Things
Matthew 7:11 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?
Luke 11:12 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!
It is universally acknowledged that parents love their children more than anything and even more than children love their parents. In this way God is our Father who loves us more than we love Him. Even evil parents on earth want to give good gifts to their children; how much more does a holy God want to give good things to those who ask. If you ask, then God will give good things. He is eager for us to ask. We ask because He is good and because He promises to give. There is no greater incentive to pray.
The “good things” in this context are spiritual blessings and spiritual gifts and the presence and activity of God Himself. In the context of Matthew 5-7 the “good things” are the ability and desire to actually do good things (doing unto others, bearing good fruit, loving enemies) and be kind. We need God’s help to do good works, for we can’t do them alone, without His doing. Jesus says, “Ask for it! You want to be good? Ask me for help.”
As if to explain “good things” even more Luke substitutes “Holy Spirit” in place of good things. Ask for the Holy Spirit: to do a good work when you don’t feel like it, to forgive the other when it hurts, to love the unlovable, and such like. Interestingly, Jesus shows how to pray in the Lord’s Prayer and the petitions of the prayer deal with spiritual, not earthly, things, except for “daily bread,” which includes all the support and wants of the body; otherwise, pray for spiritual good things. You can imagine how much a holy God wants to make you a good person (reflecting God and resembling Jesus). And He promises to do so; if you ask. What’s wrong with asking the Lord to make you a better person? He thought you’d never ask.