Thursday in the First Week of Lent.

"Strengthen us, O Lord, by your grace, that in your might we may overcome all spirtual enemies, and with pure hearts serve you; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."


Psalm 138, Esther 14:1-6, 12-14, and Matthew 7:7-12

Being a parent has, in many ways, changed the way that I think about God. I've found that I'm drawn to parenting books and articles about parenting and how to have a holy household. I’ve thought a lot about how to talk to our children about God and have tried to be aware of their spiritual life while hoping that those tough questions that they’ll have about God will stay away for just a little bit longer. More importantly, though, I've begun to wonder about what my relationship with my children will say about their own understanding of God both now and in the future.

Snack time around our house comes pretty reliably every day, and when it hits, the kiddos are ready for it. Sometimes they want a graham cracker, and sometimes they want a cookie. On a good day (for us) they'll want a banana or something with peanut butter on it. They don't get it, though, if they yell and scream for it. Of course, we want to give them a snack because we know they both want it and need it, but we don't want to give them something because they are demanding it forcefully. We want to give them what they need, and we want them to understand how to ask for what it is that they need.

Like Jesus says here about bread and a rock and a fish and a snake, I'm not going to give them something they don't want just as a punishment and in a vindictive manner, and that's because I do love them. In the midst of an epic tantrum, they might not realize it, but we really want what is best for them.

The same is true about God. God wants what is best for us; God does not want us to suffer or be punished. God wants to provide for us and to care for us; we only need to know how to ask and how to be open to the blessings that God wants us to receive.