God - The Giver of Gifts.

Jesus said. "Ask and it will be given you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks the door will be opened.  Which of you if your son asks for bread will give him a stone? Or if your child asks for a fish will you give him a snake?

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him?
 Matthew 7:7-11

Ask, seek and knock. We are dependent upon God for the very breath we take. We need him in order to live a good life and be a blessing in this world. We need him for our daily food and drink. Most people don't realize this and so he rains his blessings upon those people also. Every good thought, every good deed comes from God. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of lights in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadows." James 1:17

"Good gifts, perfect gifts," this is the key to understanding these verses. We may ask God for something we want but he may not give it to us if it is not "good and perfect" for us. Some things we ask for we can be perfectly sure of receiving ,such as asking Him to be with us to guide us and to make us be like him. We can be sure he will comfort us, strengthen us, and forgive us.

In asking things from God I am careful to say, "Your will be done." We don't know God's will about some things and it is best if we leave everything up to him.

I often remember those who died for Jesus. I remember those who died in the Holocaust. I'm sure they prayed for deliverance. I remember Jesus asking God to take away his cup of suffering.

I think we need to realize that when we pray we also need to accept the perfect will of God. Whatever he gives as his answer will be perfect for us.