#70 Luke 11:11-13 Go to God as Your Good Father

On May 8, 2022 by Amy Burgin

Joy:
Episode #70 Luke 11:11-13

Welcome

Amy:
Welcome to The Christgazing Podcast. We are so glad you’re here. I’m Amy Burgin.

Joy:
I’m Joy Burgin

Amy:
If you’re anything like us, you desire to fix your eyes on Jesus amid the distractions and pressures of this world. This podcast make room to quiet the noise around and in your mind so you can see and hear Jesus better. Each week we focus on one passage from the Bible as Joy reads it several times and creates stillness after each reading to learn who God is and what he wants us to know.

We are in a series that takes us through the book of Luke. Since Episode 68, Jesus has been teaching us how to pray.

Pour Out Your Heart to God

Amy:
Before Joy reads today’s passage, take the next minute to pour out your heart to God, whether it’s anxiety, hope, sadness, or joy. Whatever is on your mind, name it and bring it to God in these next few minutes.

[Pause and pray]

What Does This Passage Say About God?

Joy:
I’m going to read the passage two times. As I read, consider the question: What does this say about God?

Luke 11:11-13 “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!”

Again?

Take the next few moments to answer the question, what does this passage tell you about God?

[Pause and know]

What Does This Passage Say About People?

Joy:
As I reread the passage, consider: What does this tell you about people?

Take the next few moments to answer the question, what does this passage tell you about people?

[Pause and know]

Lord, What Would You Have Me Know Or Do Today?

Joy:
As I read for the last time, ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”

Take the next minute to ask God, “Lord, what would you have me know or do today in response to this passage?”

[Pause and listen]

Blessing

Joy:
Christgazer, the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. And may you turn your face toward God today and know Him as your good, good father.

One Response

Amy:
These verses began with a question at the top of Luke 11. The disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Jesus responded by giving them a model prayer, of which many of us are familiar, and begins with the words, “Father, hallowed be your name.” With this start to prayer, Jesus teaches us to begin by acknowledging God as our Father. And Jesus ends his teaching on prayer with today’s passage by leading us again to recognize and acknowledge, God as our very good Father.

Every person listening today has a father and so know what a father is. Some of us had excellent fathers on this earth and this gives us a good picture of what God is like. Some had absent or even abusive fathers, and if you fall in that camp, you know what you wished your father would have been like. You wish he would have been there to teach you, encourage you, and build you up.

It seems Jesus wants us to know more than anything here that God is a good Father and he so very much wants us to go to him with the heart of a child expecting to get all we need from him.

Closing

Amy: Last week, we mentioned Andrew Murray’s book With Christ in the School of Prayer. He has an entire chapter devoted to this passage titled “The Infinite Fatherliness of God.” If you want to read more about this topic, you can find a link to Murray’s book in the transcript of this episode at amyburgin.com. Joy and I will be back again next week to go Christgazing together. Until then, don’t forget, when you put your trust in Christ, you are one in whom he dwells and delights, a dearly loved child of God. You are royalty in his strong and unshakeable kingdom. Though trouble abounds, Christ prevails, and so do you.