i grab, you grab, we all grab what we want-but cannot have

Today I fed my children grapes. They love them some grapes!

Often times when I am watching them eat, I think to myself- "why didn't I buy more______?"

They are pretty fickle when it comes to eating, and when in their hunger they decend on the offering I have set before them, and ACTUALLY eat it, it makes me very happy! Because my friends-My labor has not been in vain :)

However today, when I looked back from whatever I had started to do after feeding them, I saw that Alana had finished with what was in her bowl and had started to grab from the big bowl of grapes I had set on the table to divvy out from for her and Ben.

My first reaction was- "girl, you better stop grabbing- you need to ask first, mommy will get you some." So Alana slowly started to take her hand out of the bowl probably wondering if she was going to get in "time out" trouble for this infraction, or even if I would let her keep what she already had in her hand.

As I put my hand in the bowl to get her some, I noticed with a bit of a smile how much bigger my hands are than hers, and how many more grapes would fit in my hand than hers and it was at that moment, the Lord spoke to me and He said something like this:


Jen, that is often what you do. There are so many things that you want and need, and I want to give them to you- but when you grab and grasp for them, you miss out! You see, MY HANDS are much bigger than yours, my grasp much stronger and my ability much wider- I can give you more than you can get yourself, I can hold onto more than your tiny hands can hold onto and I can reach wider realms than you can even start to imagine, but you must let me- you must let me. You do that by asking, and then waiting for my response. And I will respond, because I am a loving Father who longs to give you good gifts. You can trust me! I have given my Son, will I not also freely give all things?























Lord- please forgive me for the times that I take selfishly for myself. That I strain and grab at the things I feel I need at that very moment without taking the time to ask you for them! I know that you want to meet my needs, and you already have done that in so many ways! Thank you for the love that you so freely pour out on us every day. Thank you that my fulfillment truly comes from, in and through you alone- help me to never forget that! Whatever it is- whatever you may choose to bring- I trust what comes in your hands!