Four kids came to the table (I am watching my older nephews the last two weeks before school starts. They have come each day during the week. I looked at each of them and told them. It’s been a little crazy with the four kids! But I digress) “If you don’t eat your lunch, than no snack after quiet time.” The four kids nodded in solemn agreement.  This is something they have all heard before. Eating meals is important to me and snacks are for after you eat your meal. (Again, I digress).

My oldest daughter, is a person who tests everything I say. If I say the sky is blue, she would argue that it was purple. So, as lunch was finishing up, I gave the urging again to eat their lunch. The snack was in jeopardy if they did not.  Well, she did not finish. She barely touched her lunch. She simply  stated she did not want a snack. I having been down this road with her before, knew better. I urged her several more times, but she had decided, no lunch, meant no snack.

Nap time was over, all the three kids that listened and ate their lunch, carefully choose their snack. My daughter looked at me and asked, ” Can I have a snack?” I simply said “No, you did not eat your lunch.”  A meltdown took place for about 20 minutes. The other kids quickly ate their snack and moved on. She did not. She wailed and cried. She told me life wasn’t fair. ( So true, so true). She even said that she wouldn’t love me anymore if I didn’t give in to her. I did not. I sat and held her as she cried. She eventually got over it and ate dinner without a word. She received her snack.

I began to think as I was trying patiently to reason with my daughter, how often has God done this with me. He would put something, such as a lunch, something I didn’t want and asked me to obey. How many countless times, did I defiantly so “no!” or just didn’t do it. How many times, did I go back rushing to God’s hands and beg for mercy or the bread of life.

My life being an unperfectly perfect mess for the Lord is what he wants. He wants my anything. He wants what he puts in front of me to be obeyed, so He can bless me. Bless me in ways that will blow my mind. He doesn’t want blind obedience, He wants heartfelt obedience. He wants my nose in HIS book and reading His words to me. The love letter to his people. The love letter of Jesus Christ saving grace. The sacrifice of His son. All I have to do is, do what he has put in front me.

So, are you going to eat your lunch today? Or refuse and miss the blessing behind the meal.