I have a nephew named JM. His parents are not married. I don't know the back story of his parents - my brother, his father, and Lesley, his mother. But what I do know is that since JM was introduced to us, our family has realized love in his form. JM is love. JM is the son, not only a nephew or a grandson, in the family. We gave him everything we thought he needed. Giving him presents was a gift returned to us. It was what it meant "in giving that we receive."
The eyes that glittered. The laughter and the shrieks of joy. Those were the gifts he gave us. Oh, what we would not do for him! These things I have been reminded when I was in doubt of what God is to me. Of what I am to God.
I am God's child. I am God's JM. And no matter what the religious say about God, this is the only truth I hold on to. I am God's child. I know what it was like to love a child, a son. And loving is just wonderful. Giving is great. And I can never love JM the way God loves JM and me. I cannot start to imagine how much that love is!
God knows what I want even before I ask. I know what JM wants and needs even though he cannot speak yet. Still, I would love to hear JM tell me what he wishes to have.
So the question is, do we still need to ask God for something we are sure He already knows we need? The answer is YES. I remember a story about a barber and a man with long untidy hair. The barber knows that the man badly needs a haircut, but the barber will not touch an inch of the man's hair unless the man comes to him and asks for a haircut.
God, like the great Father that He is, wants us to come to Him like a child to his dad. We should not be afraid to ask and ask and ask. Forget about people telling us we should not treat God like a genie or a department store. God is way beyond what people think of Him to be. God is our Father, no more no less. And if you have been a parent, you know what a real parent is.
God bless!
