Just say yes.

The cutest little face looked up at me from the bathtub, like a cherub from heaven with bubbles from head to toe.  He was standing up, with his hand on the faucet, about to turn it on and he said, "May I turn the water on?  Just say yes." That has become his new favorite phrase.  I guess he has figured out at 2 that sweet manners and an adorable smile will get you just about anywhere.  Just say yes mommy, when I want candy.  Just say yes, when I want a new toy at the store.  Just say yes...  and when the answer is no the sweet smile disappears and the raging bull comes out.  The tantrum transform the little cherub to another kind of angel. 

There are times that we, parents, must say no.  He's two so he doesn't understand things like too much water in the tub, cavities in your teeth, or money management.  There are times his limited information makes me look mean, like I'm holding out all the good stuff from him.  I know better though.  I know that I love that little boy and I want what's best for him.  I know things he doesn't know and I know even though he won't understand and even though he is going to throw a fit, I must do what's best for him...  That's my job.  That's why little humans are in the care of adults for 18 years...  It takes a long time for humans to mature.

Do you see yourself in his simple request?  I do.  When we want something we tell God to just say yes.  We pray not "thy will be done", but instead "my will be done, and bless it."  Like a genie in a bottle, who is there to grant all of our requests, we ask only out of manners.  When we get a no, and yes, God does say NO, we pout, cry, throw a fit, and sometimes we just do it anyway.  We don't care that God knows better than we do.  We want what we want... and if He isn't for us then He is against us.  

Just last week, I was praying about something that I thought I wanted very bad...  When I was praying the Spirit spoke to my heart and said "You THINK you know what you want, BUT I know what you need, TRUST ME."  He is right.  I'm not for sure what I want or need.  There have been many times in life that I thought I knew what I wanted and not receiving those things has been the best thing that has ever happened to me.  Looking back now I can see that God knew what I needed and if I had gotten what I thought I wanted, my life would have been a disaster.  After a few days of thinking about the true reality of what I was asking, I started to see some major flaws with what I thought I wanted.    When I removed the emotion from the situation I could see that this really wasn't going to work for me.  I could see how God's wisdom and foresight had saved me from a bad decision, but only because I trusted that He knew what was best for me. 

Throughout the week the Lord reminded me to "Take delight in the Lord, and HE WILL give you the desires of your heart."  I have a promise that if my focus is loving the Lord and delighting in Him, He will give me what I need.  He can even change what I want, so that it matches His will for me. 

There was a woman in a garden once, who was happy and at peace.  She knew that God was good and had given her everything she needed.  As long as she focused on her God and his goodness and delighted in Him she was satisfied, BUT one day a serpent came in and drew her attention away from God.  The serpent made her look at the tree, the one thing she couldn't have, and he made her question her God.  She grew dissatisfied with God and didn't trust His goodness anymore.  She was drawn away by the serpent and listened to his lies, and her peace was ruined.  Her reality shattered. 

Maybe you are single and want to be married.  Maybe you are married and want a baby.  Maybe you are lonely and want friends.  Maybe you want a new house, a new car, a new job.  I don't know what it is you want today, but God knows what you need.  This morning when I was reading in Matthew I read "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." Matt 5:6  That reminded me that when my heart is fixed on God and I'm hungry for him, I will be filled, but when like Eve, I turn my eyes on what I want I just grow hungry and desperate.  Whether the thing is a good desire or a bad desire I start to pin all my happiness on that thing and I loose my peace. 

My Father knows what is best for me.  He knows me better than I know myself.  He knows all the variables in my life that will be affected by my desires.  If I trust Him, then I will say, "Your will be done.", but if I don't I will say "Just say yes."  What will you decide today?