Good Gifts

"Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

"In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets."

Matthew 7:7-12 (NRSV)

Jamie Fugitt lives in Missouri. Three-year-old Kate spent a day with Jamie the previous week, and she delighted in the strawberries Jamie had given her as a snack. When she picked her up again, her first words to Jamie were, "Do you have strawberries?" Jamie told her she didn't, and she watched her eyes cloud and smile fade. Jamie quickly added, "But I do have oranges and bananas." Kate's eyes brightened, and she excitedly exclaimed, "Yeah, I like those too!" Kate enjoyed the oranges and bananas as much as she had enjoyed the strawberries.

This sweet interaction with Kate made Jamie ponder our responses to God. We often ask for blessings and hope to receive the same gifts we were given before. But God may have a different gift in store for us. Do we respond positively to God's good gift or do we wish for something else?

When we pray , we should be open to the gifts that God has for us in the present. James tells us, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights" (Jas. 1:17). God has a variety of gifts and blessings to offer, and each one may be different than the last. We can anticipate them all with the excitement and joy of a child.

Prayer: Loving Father, thank you for the many gifts you have given us in the past. Help us to be open to the good gifts you are giving us today, in Jesus' name. Amen.