Her short, honey blonde bob swayed back and forth as she skipped down the hallway toward her preschool classroom. Fully equipped with a purple, patent-leather, Beauty and the Beast backpack, she greeted her teacher with a dimpled smile and her brown-eyed twinkle. But, on the way to her cubby she noticed something was missing. Everyone was wearing a silly hat…except for her. It was “Silly Hat Day” and we’d forgotten to pack hers.

Now, I’m no Super Mom. I’m sure my first reaction was, “Oh dear. I’ll be late for work.” But deep down inside this mama’s heart I knew what had to be done. With a reassuring hug and a kiss on her cheek I flew home. With one eye on the speedometer and the other watching for flashing red lights in the rear view mirror, I made it home and back to preschool in record time and with her silly Minnie Mouse hat in hand.

This scenario could have played out much differently. I could have said, “Too bad. We’ll have to remember next time.” But I love my daughter. I knew wearing her own silly hat was important to her so I called in late to work and drove the extra miles to satisfy her heart’s desire and show her how much she is loved.

Jesus says God loves us this way, too. In fact, he’s waiting for his children to ask him for what they need. Here’s what Jesus says:

“Don’t bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This isn’t a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we’re in. If your child asks for bread, do you trick him with sawdust? If he asks for fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? As bad as you are, you wouldn’t think of such a thing. You’re at least decent to your own children. So don’t you think the God who conceived you in love will be even better?” (Matthew 7:11 MSG) 

If you’re like me, this is a tough concept. Asking God for specific needs sometimes makes us feel like a four-year-old asking for a silly hat. We think God has more important things to do, why would he want to waste his time on us? The answer: because he loves us.

What’s your equivalent to a silly hat request? Whatever it is, God wants to meet that need, no matter how big or how small and he’s more than able to go the distance. He’s just waiting for you to ask.

Blessings,