Asking the Father for Bread

I met a man fishing with his daughter at the park. This beautiful three-year-old with a mop of blond curls illustrated the joy of asking her father for bread. While he fished, she lured two mallard ducks to her corner of the pier by throwing small chunks of bread. One bird shook his tail feathers in excitement and honked for his lunch.

The dad only gave his little girl a few bread fragments at a time. Again and again, she turned back to her father and asked for more. Every time he gave her some crumbs to distribute.

Matthew 7:7-11 says, ““Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being 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” (NKJV).

Never once did the father tell his daughter she’d asked for bread too many times. He always supplied her needs.

However, the father also didn’t give his daughter the whole loaf at once. He knew at age three, she wasn’t responsible enough to use it properly. She probably would have thrown the whole loaf at the ducks instead of small pieces they could digest.

The same way, our heavenly Father only gives us what we need in the moment. We grow dependent on the Lord when we ask for His strength every day. Our faith increases while God continually provides for us.

This child didn’t hoard what she received but passed it along to the ducks. When the Father gives us good things, often we should share that wisdom to others. We aren’t to hide truth, but shout it on the roof tops. We serve a generous and caring God. He won’t give us a stone if we ask for bread. He knows our needs and responds to our requests.

Sometimes, we have nothing to give because we are trying to provide it from our own supply and abilities. However, apart from Christ we can do nothing (John 15:5). We have to go to Him daily to fulfill our needs. Then we have wholesome words to feed hungry hearts.

Have you ever tried to do something in your own strength? I have. Today, I chose to ask my Father for every need, knowing His face lights with joy to give to His child. May we enjoy the good things that come from above and share them with the world around us.

• Do you ask the Father to fill your daily needs?
• Are there any things you've tried to provide for yourself? Consider asking the Lord. He loves to show off to His children.