what we think we deserve

Today in the One Year Bible, we read from Mark 7:24-8:10. A woman comes to Jesus and asks Him to heal her daughter. Now, normally Jesus appreciated the faith expressed by this woman and would have healed her daughter instantly. But He makes a point that teaches us things today. He says that He needs to take care of the children of Israel first, and then after that, reach out to other nations. The Hebrews were still God's chosen people. The Messiah came to us from among them.

But the woman did something that Jesus had described in His parables. She persisted. She continued to ask, humbly, for Him to heal her daughter. And so He did.

A lesson we can learn from this is that everything God gives us is a gift. Sometimes we get a little spoiled, don't we? "God, why haven't you given me a husband yet?" "God, why am I still waiting for the child I've been praying for my whole life?" "God, when are you going to give me that better job I've been asking for?"

We should definitely lift up these prayers to God. He wants to know what's important to us. But, in return, we need to begin learning what's important to Him. We need to learn perspective. And we need to realize that He doesn't owe us anything. Everything He gives is a gift, and if He decides to wait to give that gift to us, then we need to learn to wait until time to receive it.

Waiting isn't fun. But it's almost always good for us.

God, thanks for teaching us not to assume that we'll receive Your gifts. And please help us wait.