October 25 Daily Devotional

The good things of God

We must remember increasingly the good gifts which He has for us. ‘How much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?’ This is the theme of the whole Bible. What are the good things? Our Lord has given us the answer.... ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children; how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ [Luke 11:13]. That is it. And in giving the Holy Spirit He gives us everything; every fitness we require, every grace, every gift... (2 Peter 1:3). You see now why we should thank God that asking, and seeking, and knocking do not just mean that if we ask for anything we like we shall get it. Of course not. What it means is this. Ask for any one of these things that is good for you, that is for the salvation of your soul, your ultimate perfection, anything that brings you nearer to God and enlarges your life and is thoroughly good for you, and He will give it you. He will not give you things that are bad for you. You may think they are good but He knows they are bad. He does not make a mistake, and He will not give you such things ... the promise literally is this, that if we seek these good things, the fullness of the Holy Spirit, the life of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, etc., all these virtues and glories that were seen shining so brightly in the earthly life of Christ, He will give them to us. If we really want to be more like Him, and like all the saints, if we really ask for these things, we shall receive....

That is the way to face the future. Find out from the Scriptures what these good things are and seek them. The thing that matters supremely ... is to know God ... and if we ... ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness’ then we have the word of the Son of God for it that all these other things shall be added unto us.

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, ii, pp. 204–5