We were on furlough from Budapest in 2006, and my first granddaughter Emma was three years old. Because I saw her so rarely, I couldn’t resist buying her little presents whenever we went out.
One evening Emma went to the grocery store with me, and she started asking me to buy her treats. But since it was close to supper, I kept saying "no."
Finally, she looked up at me and said, “I don’t love you, Grammy, cause you won’t buy me anything.”
I bent down to her level, looked her in the eye, and said, “Emma, Grammy loves you even when I say no to you.”
Emma was silent for the next few aisles. Then she tugged on my hand and said, “I love you, too, Grammy.”
Sometimes I’m like a child who doesn’t know what’s best for her. I fail to grasp the truth that everything God gives and everything He withholds is motivated by His deep love for me and His wisdom and knowledge of the big picture of my life.
It's easy to thank God for His many blessings, but it's just as important to thank Him for what He withholds.
But most of all, we should thank Him for bending down to tell us He always loves us, even when He says no to something we want.
Today let's tug at God's hand and tell Him that we also love Him.
"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18