Not a Gumball Machine

Bible Reading: Hebrews 4:14-16

Asher put a quarter into the gumball machine at the grocery store. The colorful balls in the machine shifted around. Then Asher heard a plunk as a yellow gumball fell into the slot. Asher picked it up, popped it into his mouth, and walked with his mom to their car.

On the way home, Asher looked at the big hospital they were passing. “Mom, can we stop at the hospital and visit Grandma?”

“We’ll go there this afternoon,” Mom replied.

Asher sighed. “She’s been sick a long time. I’ve been praying and praying for her, but I guess God’s not answering. I wish He would just heal her!”

“I know it’s hard, honey,” Mom said, “but God doesn’t always answer prayers the way we want Him to—or at the time we wish He would. We have to trust Him to do what’s best for us and for Grandma. He loves us, and He loves her too.”

When they got home, Asher helped his mom unload groceries from the trunk. Then he sat down at the kitchen table. “Why doesn’t God answer prayers the way we want Him to?” Asher asked, still thinking of his grandma. “To tell the truth, I don’t even feel like praying anymore. God doesn’t do what I ask Him to do anyway, so why should I bother?”

“You mean He’s not a gumball machine?” asked Mom. “You can’t just give Him a quarter—or say a prayer—and He automatically gives out a gumball? Or the answer you want?” Asher smiled at the idea of God handing out gumballs.

“We can’t think of God as a prayer-answering machine,” Mom continued. “He’s the One who’s in charge, not us. He won’t always answer our prayers our way, but He will always answer them in the best way because He loves us. When He doesn’t answer the way we want, we need to remember that we belong to Jesus and trust Him to help us with difficult answers.”

For a few moments, Asher quietly thought about what his mother had said. Then he nodded. “Thanks, Mom. I’ll keep on praying for Grandma, and I will trust Jesus. I know He loves her—and me too—no matter what happens.” • Holly F. Cepeda

How About You?

Have you prayed for someone or something for a long time with no results? Or maybe you see results, but they’re not what you want. Continue to go boldly to God with your requests, remembering that you’re His child and He loves you. Trust Him to do what He knows is best, even when it’s not what you were hoping for. When His answers are difficult, He will be with you and help you through them.

Today’s Key Verse:
1 Chronicles 5:20 They cried out to God during the battle, and he answered their prayer because they trusted in him. (NLT)

Today’s Key Thought:

Trust God’s answers to prayer