“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?” (NASB)
This is the end of the passage where Jesus first teaches the Lord’s Prayer at his disciples’ request, then tells them about the guy who gives his friend bread in the middle of the night not because of friendship but because of his persistence, and assures us likewise to keep asking, seeking, and knocking, because we’ll receive, find, and get the door opened. And he talks about how people don’t give their kids snakes and scorpions instead of the fish and eggs they ask for. (Most people.)
But then he ends with talking about the Holy Spirit?
What, is he saying that it’s not worth persisting in prayer to ask, seek, or knock for anything else? Or that whatever we persist in praying for, the real answer will be the Spirit, or in or through him?
I think the key to that section of scripture is in verses 9-10 where Jesus was emphasizing one of the main purposes of prayer - to ask God for what we need and God will supply our needs. The beginning of verse 13 is important too - the concept of a father knowing how to give good gifts to his children…and if an earthly father will give good gifts when asked, God will certainly know our needs more than an earthly father would. I read the reference to the Holy Spirit as God’s ultimate gift to us - of all the things we could receive from God, the Holy Spirit is one of the most important as our constant helper and companion. Also critical, is that when combined with other verses which talk about the Holy Spirit being the vehicle of our prayers and that the Spirit knows what we should pray for, even if we don’t, etc. the Holy Spirit is the means God gave us to be able to communicate with him in prayer. As such, the Holy Spirit becomes the conduit from our spirit to God’s spirit. Hence, it is a great gift.
Comment by Larry — May 14, 2008 @ 7:27 am
Good point, the connection with the Spirit and how he helps us in prayer.
Comment by Marcy — May 14, 2008 @ 8:37 am