Open Up, Child

Upon waking, my child took one look at me, growled, and made his apparent starvation known. Between growls and insistent squeals, he signed, “Food. Please. Please. Food!” It seemed he believed I had forgotten he likes to eat in the mornings. He repeated his pleadings with more and more passion as I went about our morning routine. 

Sitting Judah in his high chair, he immediately panicked when I turned to go to the refrigerator to get his baby food. Apparently, I was taking too long for his little 9-month-old mind. As I put food on his spoon, he set his jaw, sighed deeply, and glared at the long-awaited food sitting mere centimeters from his face. 

“You need to open your mouth if you want to eat, Bud.” I had to bite my own tongue to not laugh out loud when he opened his mouth and signed emphatically, “Eat!” but never moved his hands out of the way. “You also need to take your fingers out of your mouth. It’s simple. You’re hungry. Here’s food. Just open your mouth.” 

As typical as our morning interaction was, I saw my own struggles when I watched Judah that day. It’s common for me to approach God with a need, and if I have to wait a second more than what I consider “fair,” I panic and start wondering if my faith is working. Then the Holy Spirit whispers, “Read the Word. What you need is right there.” Too often, I’m too busy talking to actually acknowledge God’s provision.

I pray this year is different for each of us. When we go to the Lord hungry for peace, strength, and grace, may we quiet our hearts and watch for his work in us, rather than focus on the needs which brought us before him in the first place.