The other week I was at a little girl’s birthday party. She is my niece’s oldest daughter and she was turning six years old. She is like a typical young girl, she loves to play a princess and loves to have tea parties, and most of all loves to be in control. Sound familiar? I could be describing the most of us when I say she loves to be in control. Side note, I am learning to let go and let God, I hope you are as well. Now back to the party. It was time to open the gifts! I love to watch six-year-olds open up their gifts. She started with a birthday card and she opened it with all the glee of a child opening a gift on Christmas day. She looked at the card, now I don’t know how much a six-year-old can read, but she was looking down at the card with a perplexed look on her face. It was though she was looking for something that wasn’t there. Sure enough, the words of puzzlement came right out of her sweet lips, “Where is the money?” The money she was looking for had fallen to the floor when she had opened the card. I looked at her and thought how many times have I done the same thing with my Bible? I open it and begin immediately looking for the blessings. Where are the promises and all the good stuff that comes from being a follower of Jesus? I don’t want to read the convictions in Romans so I skip to the comfort I find in Psalms. How often do we approach God’s word like a vending machine? We look for what we can receive from it that will bring us joy but hardly ever ask for the change He wants to produce in us. The Bible is still the original Valentine’s Day Card. May we read it with passion. And, may we allow the Holy Spirit to do his work in our lives when we do read it. The little girl picked the money up from the floor and gave it to her mom. I couldn’t wait for her to get to the present Maria and I had gotten for her, and as I waited to see the look on her face when she opened it, I prayed and asked God may I be like a child opening presents when I open your word.
Opening His word for change in my life,
Pastor Rick