Recently, I asked my four-year-old if she wanted to pray before dinner. She enthusiastically agreed and started her conversation with God like this:
“Dear God, thank you for the windows”
I’ll admit, let one of my eyes slip open to catch the one open eye of my husband, and we shared a slightly confused smile.
She went on, “Jesus, thank you for my stuffies, thank you for my baby brother, thank you for my big brother, thank you for my mommy, thank you for my daddy, thank you for tebow” (our dog)
“Thank you for my fork” (yes, her fork, that she was eating with.
“Thank you for our garage, Jesus Prayers” (This is what she says instead of “In Jesus Name” and it’s the cutest thing ever, I never want her to grow out of it).
“amen”.
When I asked her why she thanked God for the windows she answered, “I don’t know, cause it’s pretty outside?”
And to my, “why the garage?”
“To keep our car safe mom” as if this was quite possibly the dumbest question I could have possibly asked.
“What about your fork?”
“So I can eat.”
She did not ask for a single thing. She simply thanked God. Not only did she only thank God, she thanked him for her family and then seemingly insignificant things. She didn’t even know why she was thankful, just that she was.
Wow, what we can learn from these stubborn and steadfast toddlers.
We used this as an opportunity to explain to out kiddos that not everyone has windows or doors or even a home for that matter.
We talked about being thankful for family and how some kiddos don't have a loving mommy and daddy and Jesus tells us to take care of them. “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.” James 1:27
We talked about how some people don't have forks and plates and even food.
How often do I take for granted the little things in life. How often do I not thank God for the seemingly insignificant things?"
God cares about the details and He is IN the details. He cares about every aspect of our lives.
“You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.”
Psalm 139:1-4
Scripture tells us that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” Matthew 10:30. You can't get more detailed than that.
God cares about the insignificant “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.”
Luke 12:6
God wants us to bring everything to Him.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7
This little prayer was a beautiful reminder to me to be thankful In all things and For all things.
"As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving".
Colossians 2:6-7
“And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
"Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever!"
1 Chronicles 16:34
"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24
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