Not Bothering God

Today's devotion was originally published in The Upper Room.

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While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.” Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”  - Luke 8:49-50
 
My son placed frozen waffles into the toaster, and while he watched his favorite food toast, I cooked eggs. Suddenly, he screamed. I whirled around to see red fingers and teary eyes. As he pulled a waffle from the toaster, he had burned his fingers on the heating element. “I didn’t want to bother you,” he said, crying. After bandaging his fingers and serving up his waffle with extra butter and syrup, I assured him that he can always ask me for help, no matter what.

Similarly, it’s easy for me to believe that my problems are too small for God to care about or that God is too busy to answer my prayers. Like Jairus in Luke 8, my immediate circumstances, friends, or family can often dissuade me from bringing my concerns to the Lord. I try to fix my addictions, failures, and broken relationships on my own, and my heart ends up needlessly wounded.

Yet God’s love persistently calls to me, reminding me not to be afraid and to trust God’s wisdom. Just as parents delight in helping their children, so God delights in helping us. I can tell and ask God anything. God isn’t bothered by my pleas, and asking builds my faith. God’s provisions spur my gratitude and praise.

- Kathleen Elizabeth Dunlap (Colorado, USA)

Prayer
Dear God, thank you for caring about every detail of our lives and for always being ready to help us in our times of need. Amen.

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