Incessant Chatter

Bible Reading: Psalm 55:16–17, 22

Ben grinned as he sat with his mother in the dentist’s waiting room. They were watching a toddler put a wooden puzzle together. “Wook! I make a puzzoo, Daddy,” the little boy told his father. “See . . . cawwot. Cawwot goes . . . dere! What’s zis, Daddy? What’s zis?”

The toddler hopped off his chair to pick up a puzzle piece from the floor. He pushed his chair back to the table and tried to climb back up. After several tries, his dad helped him. “Tank you, Daddy! Oh, wook! Cone-on-a-cob. I wike cone. Yum! Goes heah.” The boy pounded on the puzzle piece. “Won’t go in!”

“Turn it around,” said his father, and the toddler turned the piece upside down. “No, do it like this.” His dad showed him how to turn it.

“Dere!” exclaimed the boy. He picked up another piece. “What’s zis, Daddy?”

“You chatter incessantly!” said the father with a grin. The toddler looked uncertain, not understanding. “You talk all the time,” the father explained, and he held out his arms. The little boy rushed into them and wrapped his little arms around his father’s neck.

“I wuv you, Daddy,” said the toddler.

“And I love you!” his father whispered back.

As Ben and his mother drove home, Ben remembered the conversation between the little boy and his father. “That little guy was sure talkative!” he said. “What did his dad call it? In . . . incess . . .”

“Incessantly,” Mom answered. “That means without stopping.” She smiled. “That’s the way God wants us to talk to Him. The Bible says to pray without stopping. We can talk to God about anything at any time. We can tell Him exactly how we feel—after all, He is our Father too. Our heavenly Father.”

Ben nodded. “My teacher at church says we can pray just like we talk in our everyday life.”

“That’s right,” said Mom. “We don’t have to use fancy language or big words. Because we trust in Jesus, we’re God’s children, and we can come to Him with anything. We can share our feelings and problems with Him or just thank Him for what He’s done for us.”

Ben smiled. “Just like that little boy did with his dad.”

How About You?

How often do you talk to your heavenly Father? He loves you and will always listen when you talk to Him. He wants you to share what’s going on in your life, ask Him for guidance, and thank Him for everything He’s done for you. Tell Him you love Him, talk to Him about all your concerns, and thank Him for His care and blessings.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 Never stop praying. In everything give thanks. This is what God wants you to do because of Christ Jesus. (NLV)

Today’s Key Thought:

Talk often with your heavenly Father