Best Dog for Sawyer

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:9-11

Sawyer typed an email to his dad, who was away on sea duty with the Navy. “The Carlsons next door have a litter of puppies,” he wrote. “Can I please have one? Mom says it’s okay with her if it’s okay with you. I wanted to have a dog just like Rex, Uncle Brad’s dog, but this one is free.” Sawyer clicked send. He could hardly wait for his dad’s answer.

When Sawyer got home from school the next day, Mom met him at the door. “I just talked to Dad on the phone,” she told him. “He’ll be home next week.”

Sawyer grinned. “That’s great! Did he say I could have a puppy?”

Mom shook her head, and Sawyer’s grin disappeared. “Dad doesn’t want you to get one right now,” she said. “I know it’s hard for you to understand, but please trust your dad. He loves you and wants what’s best for you.”

“Yeah, right!” Sawyer muttered as he went inside.

For a while, Sawyer’s disappointment clouded the joy of looking forward to his dad’s return. But when Dad arrived, Sawyer threw his arms around him and started asking lots of questions. Then he remembered that Dad hadn’t let him get one of the neighbors’ puppies. “I still don’t see why I couldn’t get that puppy, Dad,” he said with a frown.

Just then a sound came from Dad’s pile of luggage. “What’s that noise?” Sawyer asked.

Dad grinned and lifted a wriggling ball of fur out of a plastic carrier. “A puppy!” Sawyer exclaimed. He ran over, and Dad placed the puppy in his arms. “He looks just like Rex!”

Dad nodded. “The reason I said no to the other puppy was because I knew this was the kind of dog you really wanted,” he explained.

Mom smiled. “Like I told you before, you can trust your father to do what’s best for you,” she said. “We can trust our heavenly Father to do that too—even when He says no to something we ask Him for. When that happens, we need to remember that He loves us so much He sent His Son to die for us. We can trust He’s doing what’s best.”

Sawyer grinned and hugged the puppy tight. – Agnes Livezey

How About You?

Does your heavenly Father sometimes say no to the things you ask Him for? You may not understand why He answers your prayer with a “no” or “wait” instead of a “yes,” but remember that He loves you more than any earthly father could. You can always trust Him to do what’s best for you, even when He doesn’t answer your prayers the way you want.

Today’s Key Verse:
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father. (NKJV)

Today’s Key Thought:

God gives the best