by Nick Miller

What is the greatest gift that Jesus can give?

This week, my son has shifted and become a very needy little boy. He has become very specific with his requests, and they have been outrageous at points. We have entered the phase where he can only use a specific blanket to sleep, only sip out of a particular cup, only leave with his favorite toy in hand. If my wife and I do not meet these demands, we better be ready for a massive battle! It has been so funny to see what his heart needs and truly cares about in his young age of three years old.

However, there is a strange realization and change that I feel happening within me. I am willing to go above and beyond to meet his needs and desires. I feel that I am discovering the unselfish nature of being a father. I will do anything to meet the needs and appropriate desires that my son shares with me. When he comes to me asking for water from a Spiderman cup, I will help him get what he needs. There are things that he asks for that are unhealthy for him that he doesn’t receive. However, my heart posture towards my son is one of generosity, selflessness, and care.

I love that my son is asking me constantly for help! It allows me to grow him, teach him, and meet his needs. Christ’s heart is even greater than mine. Christ desires to hear our heart. He already knows what we need, but His desire for relationship and connection with us leads His heart towards us. Jesus is speaking with His disciples about prayer, and encourages them to start to ask God for what is on their heart. God wants to hear what is in your heart, so that he can meet your needs:

”Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Luke 11:9-10

Immediately after this encouragement, Jesus talks about the character of God the Father. This discussion relates closely to what I have been feeling, and Jesus highlights God’s heart for His children. God has an immeasurable love for us, an unmatched generosity for us, and an unwavering good heart towards us. He can only do good for us, that is His ultimate desire and posture towards us. Look at how Jesus displays the heart of God to us:

“Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:11-13

In reading this portion of scripture this week I found something that blew my mind! Christ begins to describe GOOD gifts as physical gifts. We see that we can receive a “fish” or an “egg,” but God wants to meet our needs in a way that only He can. In the midst of those GOOD gifts, Jesus ends his statement by talking about what God desires to give to us. “How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). The greatest gift that you could receive is the Holy Spirit! The guidance, the comfort, the love, the care, the healing, the growth, and the wisdom that we need all of the time ultimately comes from the Holy Spirit. Perhaps we are asking for things that lack the power to truly meet our needs. We tend to ask for a “physical” answer to our prayers, but perhaps Jesus is trying to teach us about the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can meet every one of our inner desires and needs.

The Spirit of God can fulfill every bit of emptiness, alleviate every stress, calm every anxious thought, guide every conversation, heal every sickness, and restore all brokenness. We need the Holy Spirit! Greater than anything this world has to offer, the Holy Spirit opens up heaven within us. The Holy Spirit is the greatest thing that we could ever ask for. What if our “asks” of Jesus shifted from physical worldly things to “asking” for more of His Spirit within us? The more the Spirit is at work in our daily lives, the more we will see the problems of this world dissipate. The greatest need we have is more of His Spirit in us… ask for it and it will be given to you! Watch how the Holy Spirit will move miraculously in your life!

photo: unsplash.com