AUGUST 31

Psalm 37:4

“Suzy! Here’s a treat for you,” said Rick. He held out a dish of ice cream. Two-year-old Suzy fumbled over to her brother and held out one hand. Her other tiny fist was clenched tightly around the arm of a little doll Rick had given her earlier. “You need to hold this dish with both hands,” said Rick. Suzy smiled sweetly, but she would not open the other hand. “Put your doll down so you can hold the dish,” said Rick.

Suzy refused to unclench her fist. “Give me! I want!” she cried impatiently as she reached for the ice cream.

“Come on, Suzy, open your hand. Don’t you trust me?” asked Rick persuasively. Suzy shook her head, and Rick frowned. “Mom, why won’t she open her hand?” he asked. “I won’t take her doll away,I’m the one who gave it to her in the first place.”

“I know you can be trusted and that you wouldn’t take anything away from her unless it would harm her,” said Mom, “but she’s afraid to risk the doll.”

Rick sighed. “That’s silly,” he said. “We’re all like Suzy sometimes,” observed Mom. “No way!” objected Rick. “I don’t do dumb things like that, and neither do you, Mom.”

“What about times we refuse to trust God?” asked Mom. “Sometimes we insist on holding on to our little treasures, which we often forget are what God has given us in the first place. For example, some people are afraid to yield their jobs to God because they’re afraid He’ll want them to be missionaries. They think they’d be happier staying where they are, and don’t realise that wherever God wants them is the place they’d be happiest.” Rick was thoughtful. “I don’t think I have any treasures to hang on to, though,” he said.

“Well, let’s see,” said Mom. “How about your bicycle? That’s kind of like a treasure to you, isn’t it? Your brother asked if he could use it the other day for a few days. When you refused to let him use it, you didn’t feel happy for a few days. You only felt better when you finally learned to share.” Mom smiled. “I’m sure you have other treasures, too. Think about it.”

Thought: Do you trust God to give you the desires of your heart?

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to realise that You want the best for me. I know Your instructions are written in the Bible, so help me to read and enjoy the Bible so that I will know better what delights You have in store for me! This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.