How much more?

Think of a granpa who loves to play pranks on his grandchildren. What seems to be a piece of candy turns out to be a frightening explosion when unwrapped. What looks like a friendly handshake turns out to be an electric shock. What appears as an invitation to his favorite chair becomes an embarrassing experience with a whoopie cushion! Perhaps the occasional prank is funny, but if used repeatedly, grandchildren will learn not to trust their grandfather. They learn what kind of man he is.

Do we know what kind of God we pray to?

Is He a deceptive God who gives only tricks? Is He a hard-hearted God who gives begrudgingly? Or is He a loving God who gives more than we can ever ask? Matthew 7:7-11 answers the question: God is a Father who gives “good gifts to those who ask him” (v. 11). God is generous in giving; He also gives what is good for us.
We can look to human parents as examples. If a son is hungry, a father does not hand his boy a stone or snake (vv. 9—10), things that may appear as answers to the request but in reality are only deceptions. The point is clear: God is no prankster who delights in fooling us; rather, He is a generous Father who gives us what we need. If even sinful humans know how to provide generously for their children’s requests, how much more will our heavenly Father lavish upon us all our needs (v. 11)? Knowing, then, what kind of God we petition brings new light to the first verses of the passage: ask, seek, knock (vv. 7—8)—all ancient metaphors for prayer. If God is a generous Father, then we can take our needs to Him and ask. We can seek Him, confident that He will provide for us. Persistence in prayer on our part is done not in desperation toward a stingy or deceptive God, but in hopeful anticipation that our heavenly Father knows our needs and will generously provide the best for His children.