"Dad, why do we keep praying for Grandma?" Jacob asked as they
finished their morning prayer at the breakfast table. "We pray for
her every day, but she doesn't seem to be getting any better."
"Well . . ." Dad was interrupted by a chattering squirrel outside the
window. The intruder ran up the bird feeder post, and the chickadees flew away. Jacob knocked on the window, but the squirrel refused to budge.
"That squirrel is stealing the birds' sunflower seeds," said Jacob.
Dad grinned. "To stop him, we should put up a sign that says Birds Only,' then teach him to read."
Jacob laughed. "By the time he learns, we'll be out of bird food!"
"You're right." Dad went to the garage and came back with a curved piece of metal. "This is called a baffle. It fits around the bird feeder post so squirrels can't climb up." He and Jacob put up the baffle and watched to see what would happen.
The squirrel came and tried to climb over it. When that didn't work, he climbed a nearby tree and leaped from the lowest limb to the feeder.
"I'll fix him," said Dad. He walked to the bird feeder and moved the post several yards away from the tree. The squirrel left. Then he returned and jumped from a higher branch.
"He's a persistent one," said Dad. He went to the kitchen and came back with a couple ears of corn.
"What's that for?" asked Jacob.
"Sometimes you have to give in to squirrels," said Dad as he placed the ears of corn far from the bird feeder. "This way, he'll leave the feeder alone so the birds can have their food." He looked at Jacob. "Did you know the Bible says that when it comes to prayer, we should act like this squirrel?"
Jacob was shocked. "It does?"
Dad nodded. "God wants us to pray persistently, even when we can't see how it changes anything. He promises to work everything out for the best."
"Kind of like how giving the squirrel corn was better for him and for the birds?"
"Right," said Dad. "Jesus loves us and hears every one of our prayers. We need to keep praying for Grandma and trust Him." David J. Belleau
HOW ABOUT YOU?
Do you pray about something once or twice and then stop? Or do you keep praying and expect God to answer? Don’t give up. Keep bringing your problems to Him in prayer. Talk to Jesus like a friend. He loves you, and he hears each of your requests. Trust Him to answer in the way He knows is best.
TODAY'S KEY VERSE: Psalm 55:17 (KJV)
Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. (NKJV)