A Child Asking an Apple

^^Pf’oyers to God for spiritual things are the 7nost acceptable, but prayers for te?ftp orals are not despised. A child pleaseth his father 7nore when he desireth him to teach him his book than when he begs for a?z apple; yet this request is not refused when it will do him no ill to grant itP A pretty, simple picture, rightly drawn upon divine authority; for the Lord himself teaches us to judge what our heavenly Father will do for us by that which we would do for our children. If I go to God, and ask for spiritual blessings, he will be pleased with my request, and most surely grant it, even as a father will readily give his boy a lesson in some useful work or book. But I may also beg for temporal mercies, as a child asks for its bread and butter. More than this, as a child may ask for an apple, or a sweet, so may I make request for that which I desire. Only in this latter case I am bound to remember that a child is not bidden to ask for the apple, though he is allowed to do so. “Give me this day my daily bread,” is a petition prescribed: if I ask for more it must be as a petition permitted. Moreover, the child’s request is one which must be left entirely to the Father’s own discretion: he is bound by promise to give his offspring necessaries, but he is under no bonds to grant them luxuries. Here is a difference ever to be noted between prayers commanded and prayers tolerated. As we are children of the great Father, we have a large liberty of request; if we delight ourselves in the Lord he will give us the desires of our hearts; but still, when we are praying, it is well for us to press our suit just so far as it may be pressed, and no further. A child asking for necessary food may be vehement even unto tears; but if what he wishes for is only a sugar-stick, he will be a naughty child if he be passionately importunate. Mind this, ye babes in grace, when next ye pray. Ask, seek, knock, according as the promise invites; but in temporal matters consider the way of the Lord’s house, and submit your will unto the will of the Father.