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If a son shall ask bread - will a Father give him a stone
Luke 11:11, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?”
We are often reluctant to pray “Thy will be done.” It is even taught today that it is a sure sign of a lack of faith to pray, “Not my will but as thou wilt” although that is a quote from the Son of God, Christ Jesus. Many use this phrase out of obligation to the commandment or fear of rejection. After giving God the list of needs and wants, “Thy will be done” is added to offset any disappointment of not receiving our selfish petition. More thought must be given to prayer than this.
If we have no assurance that the things we desire are the will of God for our lives, we have no business asking for them. It is a basic distrust of God as a “good father” that causes us to hold aloof the words, “Thy will be done.” “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?”
Prior to this question in Matthew 7, Jesus was teaching that we are to ask for God’s will to be done, here, just as it is done in heaven; and that an honest, seeking person will not go away empty-handed. He was assuring us that we need not fear asking for God’s will to be done. To make the point clear He asked the following question:
“…what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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?”
When Luke recorded this, he added, “Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:10-13) This further makes the point that this is a rhetorical question, because it evokes the response, “Of course we would not do that!” He wants us to know that praying for God’s will and our good are not crossed purposes.
A Part of Our Model
Jesus places this concept into the model prayer and therefore puts it into a category of richness beyond the first glance. As with all of the Lord’s model prayer, it demands we make personal changes. To make the prayer comfortable or natural, you must either change it, or you are forced change yourself. When you see your life not conforming to the words of the prayer, it shows that you are out of sync with the life that Christ intended for you. Who, but a few, could honestly pray for “daily bread” with a week’s supply of food on hand? Who can say, “Forgive me because I forgive everyone who sins against me?” You must therefore make your life fit the prayer.
We have, rather, attempted to change the prayer, or at least made it impotent. We set aside the power of this prayer by teaching it as a nursery rhyme and saying it with the cadence of a limerick. But for this prayer to truly have its intended effect, we must make “Thy will be done" as easy to pray earnestly, and in truth, as it is to say from memory.
When you say the first words “Our Father,” these words should truly reflect your feelings of community with other believers and your place in family of God. “Thy Kingdom come” should roll from lips truly desirous to see the His Kingdom established. “Forgive us our debts,” ought to be said in full assurance of being granted because no grudge or debt is being held by you toward anyone. Then, “Thy will be done” can be said and felt sincerely, clearly, and confidently. After all, “…what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?”
The imagery in the words used by Jesus is astounding. Notice all the desired articles mentioned: bread, an egg, a fish – all items of sustenance and nourishment. Notice the articles we assumed to receive from God were a stone, a scorpion, or a serpent – items that are common, useless, dangerous, and even deadly. Is this how we consider His will for us? Are these the “gifts” we presume to avoid by evading the prayer, “Thy will be done?” Shame on us for thinking our God to be such a father.
As you become increasingly aware of the goodness of God, and understand that His demands are not unfair, that His commandments are not grievous, and that His way is not arduous, you will accept (and soon even desire) His will above your own. Yes, you will wonder why you avoided His will before.
You will find that it was your idea of bread that should be considered a stone when compared to His bread; much like a hungry child may want cake over potatoes or candy over vegetables, your desire for the poison of your own will is only a misunderstood hunger for true sustenance.
From God’s viewpoint, the eggs you ask for may in fact be scorpions, and although you ask for fish with your mouth your fingers are pointing at serpents. Let our loving heavenly Father feed you from the table of His will and you will never reach for serpents, stones, or scorpions, while hungry for bread.
Good Things
In Luke, we find that the author replaced the words “good things” with “the Holy Spirit.” “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13) Many who interpret this to mean a “gift” of the Holy Spirit, seem to miss the point. “…to them that ask Him”… ask Him for what? The Holy Spirit? No, the Holy Spirit is not a gift given to anyone who simply asks for it as a gift. It is a state of being, an indwelling, set aside for those who surrender their will to Him and those who can honestly pray “Thy will be done” without reservation, without hypocrisy, and with a sincere heart. Can you say, “Lord, don’t give me what I want…give me what you want me to have, no matter what”? It is then that you are able to be indwelled.
It is then that you are qualified to receive the “gift.” As you make an inhabitable home for the Holy Spirit, by humility and surrender, you become capable of receiving the good things that He desires you to have. The Holy Spirit of God would not, indeed could not, be in harmony with simultaneous distrust of YHVH as a good Father.
When you doubt His will and disbelieve His good intentions, when you are skeptical and distrusting about praying, “Thy will be done,” and when you think that your desires are honorable and His are suspect, you make an antagonistic environment for the Holy Spirit.
For the Spirit of God knows God only as thoroughly good[1] and appreciates no will other than His. In this condition of doubt and fear of an untrustworthy God, you can expect never to experience in fullness the indwelling Christ, nor the warmth of the Comforter, nor the uninhibited fellowship of the Father. The Holy Spirit, spoken of by Jesus, will never be a gift to you.
Why do we distrust Him so? Why do we fear to say, “Thy will be done?” Why, in our deepest distress, when loss of life or a loved one is before us, when life’s tragedies are imminent and sorrow seemingly unavoidable, can we not cry out to God in full assurance that our good and ultimate joy is considered when we pray “Thy will be done?” Do we really think that what He offers is more grief, more sorrow, and more heartache? If His will is so far from ours, should we not make the changes necessary to reconcile the two?
He loves you more than you can know. You can only trust Him as much as you love Him and love Him as much as you trust Him. As you inch your way by faith to more love and more trust, isn’t it a lovely thought to contemplate the question, “If a son shall ask bread…will a father give him a stone?”
1 Corinthians 2:10-11, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
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By Don C. Harris (AP)Luke 11:11, “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?”
We are often reluctant to pray “Thy will be done.” It is even taught today that it is a sure sign of a lack of faith to pray, “Not my will but as thou wilt” although that is a quote from the Son of God, Christ Jesus. Many use this phrase out of obligation to the commandment or fear of rejection. After giving God the list of needs and wants, “Thy will be done” is added to offset any disappointment of not receiving our selfish petition. More thought must be given to prayer than this.
If we have no assurance that the things we desire are the will of God for our lives, we have no business asking for them. It is a basic distrust of God as a “good father” that causes us to hold aloof the words, “Thy will be done.” “If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone?”
Prior to this question in Matthew 7, Jesus was teaching that we are to ask for God’s will to be done, here, just as it is done in heaven; and that an honest, seeking person will not go away empty-handed. He was assuring us that we need not fear asking for God’s will to be done. To make the point clear He asked the following question:
“…what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 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?”
When Luke recorded this, he added, “Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:10-13) This further makes the point that this is a rhetorical question, because it evokes the response, “Of course we would not do that!” He wants us to know that praying for God’s will and our good are not crossed purposes.
A Part of Our Model
Jesus places this concept into the model prayer and therefore puts it into a category of richness beyond the first glance. As with all of the Lord’s model prayer, it demands we make personal changes. To make the prayer comfortable or natural, you must either change it, or you are forced change yourself. When you see your life not conforming to the words of the prayer, it shows that you are out of sync with the life that Christ intended for you. Who, but a few, could honestly pray for “daily bread” with a week’s supply of food on hand? Who can say, “Forgive me because I forgive everyone who sins against me?” You must therefore make your life fit the prayer.
We have, rather, attempted to change the prayer, or at least made it impotent. We set aside the power of this prayer by teaching it as a nursery rhyme and saying it with the cadence of a limerick. But for this prayer to truly have its intended effect, we must make “Thy will be done" as easy to pray earnestly, and in truth, as it is to say from memory.
When you say the first words “Our Father,” these words should truly reflect your feelings of community with other believers and your place in family of God. “Thy Kingdom come” should roll from lips truly desirous to see the His Kingdom established. “Forgive us our debts,” ought to be said in full assurance of being granted because no grudge or debt is being held by you toward anyone. Then, “Thy will be done” can be said and felt sincerely, clearly, and confidently. After all, “…what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?”
The imagery in the words used by Jesus is astounding. Notice all the desired articles mentioned: bread, an egg, a fish – all items of sustenance and nourishment. Notice the articles we assumed to receive from God were a stone, a scorpion, or a serpent – items that are common, useless, dangerous, and even deadly. Is this how we consider His will for us? Are these the “gifts” we presume to avoid by evading the prayer, “Thy will be done?” Shame on us for thinking our God to be such a father.
As you become increasingly aware of the goodness of God, and understand that His demands are not unfair, that His commandments are not grievous, and that His way is not arduous, you will accept (and soon even desire) His will above your own. Yes, you will wonder why you avoided His will before.
You will find that it was your idea of bread that should be considered a stone when compared to His bread; much like a hungry child may want cake over potatoes or candy over vegetables, your desire for the poison of your own will is only a misunderstood hunger for true sustenance.
From God’s viewpoint, the eggs you ask for may in fact be scorpions, and although you ask for fish with your mouth your fingers are pointing at serpents. Let our loving heavenly Father feed you from the table of His will and you will never reach for serpents, stones, or scorpions, while hungry for bread.
Good Things
In Luke, we find that the author replaced the words “good things” with “the Holy Spirit.” “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13) Many who interpret this to mean a “gift” of the Holy Spirit, seem to miss the point. “…to them that ask Him”… ask Him for what? The Holy Spirit? No, the Holy Spirit is not a gift given to anyone who simply asks for it as a gift. It is a state of being, an indwelling, set aside for those who surrender their will to Him and those who can honestly pray “Thy will be done” without reservation, without hypocrisy, and with a sincere heart. Can you say, “Lord, don’t give me what I want…give me what you want me to have, no matter what”? It is then that you are able to be indwelled.
It is then that you are qualified to receive the “gift.” As you make an inhabitable home for the Holy Spirit, by humility and surrender, you become capable of receiving the good things that He desires you to have. The Holy Spirit of God would not, indeed could not, be in harmony with simultaneous distrust of YHVH as a good Father.
When you doubt His will and disbelieve His good intentions, when you are skeptical and distrusting about praying, “Thy will be done,” and when you think that your desires are honorable and His are suspect, you make an antagonistic environment for the Holy Spirit.
For the Spirit of God knows God only as thoroughly good[1] and appreciates no will other than His. In this condition of doubt and fear of an untrustworthy God, you can expect never to experience in fullness the indwelling Christ, nor the warmth of the Comforter, nor the uninhibited fellowship of the Father. The Holy Spirit, spoken of by Jesus, will never be a gift to you.
Why do we distrust Him so? Why do we fear to say, “Thy will be done?” Why, in our deepest distress, when loss of life or a loved one is before us, when life’s tragedies are imminent and sorrow seemingly unavoidable, can we not cry out to God in full assurance that our good and ultimate joy is considered when we pray “Thy will be done?” Do we really think that what He offers is more grief, more sorrow, and more heartache? If His will is so far from ours, should we not make the changes necessary to reconcile the two?
He loves you more than you can know. You can only trust Him as much as you love Him and love Him as much as you trust Him. As you inch your way by faith to more love and more trust, isn’t it a lovely thought to contemplate the question, “If a son shall ask bread…will a father give him a stone?”
1 Corinthians 2:10-11, “But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
Mentioned in this episode:
TRI Radio App