“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 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 good gifts to those who ask him! Matthew 7:9-11
“For the Providence which extends to us from God is not ministerial, as that service which proceeds from inferiors to superiors. But in pity for our weakness, the continual dispensations of Providence work, as the care of shepherds towards the sheep, and of a king towards his subjects; we ourselves also conducting ourselves obediently towards our superiors, who take the management of us, as appointed, in accordance with the commission from God with which they are invested.
Consequently those who render the most free and kingly service, which is the result of a pious mind and of knowledge, are servants and attendants of the Divinity. Each place, then, and time, in which we entertain the idea of God, is in reality sacred.
When, then, the man who chooses what is right, and is at the same time of thankful heart, makes his request in prayer, he contributes to the obtaining of it, gladly taking hold in prayer of the thing desired. For when the Giver of good things perceives the susceptibility on our part, all good things follow at once the conception of them. Certainly in prayer the character is sifted, how it stands with respect to duty.”
Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-215) in The Stromata, Book VII, Chapter 7.
This excerpt contains a profound idea. When we as thankful servants and attendants to the king, choose what is right and request whatever we need in prayer, we contribute “to the obtaining of it” through our faith. This is not prosperity gospel but God’s design for sifting our character and growing us as spiritual people.
Many have asked me in Australia: How do you survive long trips? How does your wife survive them? Prayer. We pray sincerely and confidently for everything we need. We text our requests back and forth and lift up one another continually. As we see God come to our aid and supply, it strengthens our faith in God’s Providence.
We are learning that living generously has nothing do with how much money we have, but rather, everything to do with how much faith we have in the God who supplies all things richly for our enjoyment and sharing. In other words, do we live like we believe in God’s Providence.
I am thankful on this trip He has richly supplied me wisdom, strength, and love for abundant service, while simultaneously giving Jenni grace, compassion, and love, for she has been privileged to journey unexpectedly with a friend who lost her father while I’ve been away.