"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly." - John 10:10
The search was on!
We were ready to take my mom and dad back to their vehicle and begin our trek
back home from our much- enjoyed camping trip.
Only we couldn't find the keys.
That's right, the keys. You know, the things that you insert into the ignition
in order to get the motorhome to run.
The keys.
And let me tell you, we searched EVERYWHERE.
All through the motorhome itself. In every cubbie hole, under the beds, in the
cabinets, under the seats, in boxes, in bags, in our clothes' pockets, even
sifted through the trash everywhere.
Then, we searched the ground around our camper. We kicked through pile after
pile of leaves, in the barbecue pit where we had cooked the evening before,
under the motorhome. We even checked on TOP of the motorhome, thinking I might
have dropped them from my pocket when I was working on the awning.
Still, we couldn't find them.
We went to the bathrooms, the showers, literally everywhere we could think to
look.
And then, my mom asked Jacob, our three-year-old, to pray.
His prayer was simple: "Help us find the keys."
It was just a few minutes later when something both praiseworthy and humorous
happened.
My wife suddenly had a revelation. She went to the picnic table and took off the
red-checkered tablecloth that was clamped firmly onto it, and she let out a yell
of joy.
."I found them!"
The praiseworthy part is this: God responded to a little boy's prayer for help.
It was innocent. It was sincere. And it was answered.
The humorous part is this: The night before we had sat at the picnic table and
ate a meal of hamburgers and chili that I had cooked on the open fire. My wife
had noticed a "clump" in the tablecloth and asked me what it was. I replied, "I
think it's a bunch of sticks from the firewood."
That clump was the keys, as it turned out.
Ooops.
What we had been looking for was right there within reach. I had just
misidentified them. And so, they remained hidden away under the tablecloth. Out
of view. With us still looking in vain.
Thank God for answered prayer!
You know, all of this reminds me of both saved and unsaved people -- how we
frantically looked for things in life that are right there in front of us.
We look for the keys to peace and the keys to joy. We sort through trash and we
sift through the leaves and cubbie holes and pits of life trying to find the
answers.
We scramble around for the keys to happiness and success, relationships and
acceptance. We look high and low for guidance and meaning and purpose and
blessings.
When what we really need to do is stop looking, and start praying.
We need to come to God with childlike faith and innocence and sincerity and tell
Him what He already knows.
"I don't know where to look . Please help me find the keys."
Christian, what are you searching for today? Is it meaning and purpose for you
life? Is it a healthy relationship? Is it happiness or peace, or freedom from
worry and temptation?
You're only a prayer away from discovering what lies beneath the tablecloth. God
has something special planned for your life.
Why not ask HIM where to look?
Jimmy D. Brown
comments@Living4Jesus.com
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