Good Gifts

Sunday, May 13th was our daughter Mariah's birthday. She turned 4. She REALLY wanted a Leapster. It's an educational electronic game thing. Kinda like a gameboy only all the games are educational and it's not really as cool as a gameboy. But for a 4 year old it's GREAT. Sabrina and I agreed that if we got her one it would be the only thing we got her. It's been a crazy month with MAJOR car trouble for us, a trip to Oklahoma and back, doctor bills, etc. God has wonderfully provided for us some amazing things but if we were going to get the Leapster this month we'd have to be careful what we did financially. We dipped into our small savings and got the Leapster. We couldn't wait to see her get it. We knew from one of the Grandma's she had got a leapster game to go in the Leapster. So I devised a plan to let her open the game and then tell her how sorry we were she didn't have the Leapster to play it. I strategically hid the Leapster we bought behind the couch and after all the things were opened I played the dumb dad and said "Oh, Mariah you missed a present back here!" She came around the corner and yelled "MY LEAPSTER, MY LEAPSTER!" She hugged it, kissed it, jumped up and down. We've all had those moments as kids that we remember. Immediately my thoughts went to what I read in Luke that morning for my quiet time. In Luke 11 Jesus says: If your child asks for a fish, do you give a snake? If they ask for an egg, do you give a scorpion? NO! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, HOW MUCH MORE will your heavenly Father give the HOLY SPIRIT to those who ask him. My heart leaped in that moment. If I get this much joy out of giving a stinkin' Leapster, what must our Father feel when we ask for His Spirit. Not when we ask for more money. Not when we ask for health. Not when we ask for a better job, better home, better friends, better possessions. FOR HIS SPIRIT! That's all that matters. And Jesus said HOW MUCH MORE will your Heavenly Father give it. He's saying as much as we LOVE to give to our children, GOD WANTS TO GIVE SO MUCH MORE!! I don't think we get it. We want all the possessions and God's waiting to give His own Spirit. THEN the possessions won't matter. And notice how Mariah responded to the Leapster. SHE WAS THRILLED! What's our response to what God gives? I know at times for me it hasn't been what it should. Anyway, another moment taught from a child.

Following Christ,

Jeff