What’s Your Wish List for Your Father God: A Repost

I’ve decided to repost a blog post I wrote two years ago. I hope it will be a blessing to you.

What’s Your Wish List for Your Father God?

by Heather Bock

originally posted December 7, 2016

I don’t know about your kids, but mine have become pretty excited about their wish lists, Amazon wish lists to be specific. They ask to see them fairly regularly and keep finding more to add to them. My two oldest know how to navigate to their online wish lists on their own, and they know how to add new items themselves. They’re getting better about checking the price, knowing that nobody in our family is going to buy them a Lego set for $150. Sometimes they add the item just in case, but most of the time add more reasonably priced toys. The problem is that it’s hard to tell from a picture on Amazon whether a toy is good quality or not. In fact, it’s probably hard for my kids to tell that fact in a store. When I don’t check their lists before birthdays and Christmas early enough, they very well may receive a cheaply-made toy that breaks the first time they play with it. It’s happened. Not only that, but I steer my daughter away from dolls that don’t represent our values and my son away from violent video games I don’t think would be good for him.

All this wish list talk from my kids have made me start to think about my wish list to my Father. It’s not necessarily made up of material items, but I do regularly add lines to the list. Here are some regular requests, tailored for specific people:

• healing for friends and family members
• a close relationship with Jesus for friends and family members
• renewed marriages
• help for missionaries
• wisdom in different situations

Other times I ask for favor for my husband in his job or that my youngest son will behave well during our homeschool community where I try to lead him and his classmates in their learning time. Wow, would I ever like that one to be answered favorably!

I was recently talking to a friend about how sometimes I might pray for God’s will be done in a certain situation, but really, in my heart I’m just adding something else to my wish list, and I really want His will to be my will done.

I’m pretty sure a lot of my items listed above would be in God’s will, but I bet the answer might not always look like how I imagine it. I also know some are not always in God’s will, such as healing or favor. I can imagine God with His eye on His child’s wish list, saying, “No, Heather, that one’s not a good idea. I’m going to take that one off the list.”

I think of a story in Matthew 20, when James’ and John’s mother came up to Jesus and respectfully asked Him to put her sons in positions of honor in His coming kingdom. Her sons agreed with her request, believing themselves up to the task. Jesus responded that they didn’t know what they were asking. Even though Jesus had just explained that He was going to soon be condemned to death to be mocked, scourged, and crucified, these men and their mother just didn’t understand what they had added to their wish list.

The disciples did indeed undergo what would give them honor in the kingdom of Heaven. James himself is traditionally considered to be the first apostle to be put to death for following Jesus. In the seemingly upside down way of God, this apparent curse of martyrdom does turn into a blessing for them and for many others. However, many times, what looks like a blessing can end up truly being a curse. How many fairy tales whisper this truth? Think of King Midas with his gift of the golden touch turning his beloved daughter lifeless.

We might pray that God’s will may be done, but we need to believe it. As you add items to your wish list to God, listen to Him whisper, “I love you, my child. Trust that I know what’s best for you.”

I have more to say about prayer to this Father of ours in a part two. If you’re interested, click here.

Brick Builders Illustrated Bible Giveaway

Last Saturday, I reviewed the Brick Builders Illustrated Bible, a very cool Bible for kids. I will be randomly choosing a name to give away one copy of this Bible on Saturday, December 8.

If you would like to enter this drawing, subscribe to my blog:

• To subscribe, click the button “follow” in the above right column under my picture and type in your email address. You may have to follow up with an email sent to you to fully subscribe, so check your spam folder if it doesn’t arrive in your inbox.

To earn more entries, or if you’re already following my blog,

• Share this post via social media. Each share to a different social media venue earns you one entry (up to three).
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• Notify me of your name.

Giveaways are open to residents of the continental U.S. and Canada who haven’t won a prize from me within a year only.

I will announce the winner on Saturday, December 8, so look for it! If I don’t hear from the winner within a week, I will draw another name. Thank you!

Beginner’s Bible Giveaway Winner

I have tried to contact Story Teller, author of the timecrawlerblog, to send her the Beginner’s Bible she won, but I haven’t been able to reach her yet. Story Teller, please contact me at heather.bock[at]glimpsesofjesus.com with your address, and I will send your Bible to you. If I can’t reach you by Saturday, 12/8, I will need to draw a new name.

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to BlogAbout Blogger Network for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winner and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.