Tonight night is Halloween and millions of kids will be heading out, asking their neighbors, “trick or treat?” These days, everyone always gives out a treat and never waits for a trick. But that very question, trick or treat, also models our interactions with the world.
Think about this for a minute. When we go out into the world, we are never sure what we are going to get. When you meet a new person, you don’t know if they will be nice or rude. When you buy something in the store, you never know if it will really work when you get it home, regardless of how much you paid for it. When you go to do some business, like renew your driver’s license, you never know if your paperwork will be correct, or if you need to go home and bring in more. So often, in dealing with the world, we never know if at any given time we are in for a treat or a trick.
It’s the sad truth. But unfortunately, it makes sense. Our Heavenly Father tells us in I Peter 5:8 that “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” The devil is looking to trick us, and to set us up to be tricked by others, that he may have a victory. Whenever the devil can cause us to take our minds off the Lord and His hand at work in our lives, it is a victory for him – and frustrations and doubts are the easiest ways to accomplish that. The devil knows that it doesn’t always take a big bad event to get our minds off of Jesus – a little trick will do it, too. So, every time we head out into the world, it is an opportunity for him to trick us, instead of giving us a treat.
So, if that “trick or treat” question models how we interact with the world, let’s contrast that with how we interact with our Heavenly Father.
First of all, our Heavenly Father invites us to come boldly to Him. Hebrews 4:16 tells us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Secondly, when we are at the throne of grace, God’s throne, we are invited to simply ask of Him. Let’s look at Matthew 7:7 – 11 – Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? 10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? 11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
These verses tell us that it is the Father’s will that we ask things of Him. He tells us that if we ask, He will give. And in these verses, we even see that it is not the Father’s pleasure to trick us – we read, “if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent” – that’s a trick – and that’s not how our Heavenly Father works.
Thirdly, when we ask tings of the Father, it’s not only His will to give us things, but it is His pleasure to give us gifts. Luke 12:31 – 32 reminds us “but rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Little flock, he wants to treat us!
So remember, as you approach the Lord, remember He is never out to trick you as the world is, but rather to treat you and to bless you and to give you good gifts.