Quite a while ago while my now 20-year-old granddaughter, Hannah, was four or five I was vexed about one thing or another. The fact that I can’t remember what caused my anxiety testifies to just how serious it was. Hannah noticed my dismay, climbed up on my lap and looked intently with her tender face reflecting her concern. “What’s the matter, Pop?” she asked. I replied briefly stating my problem. She looked off deep in thought and again questioned, “Why don’t you give your problem to God?” Smiling at the simplicity and sincerity of her question, I asked, “Why should I do that, Hannah?” She thought for another long moment and intoned, “I think He’s going to be up all night anyhow!” How utterly innocent and profound! She had summed up my problem and course of action in one simple statement. My God would indeed be up all night, so I could rest in the fact that He could handle any concern, great or small, that I might have.
It reminded me of the story in Matthew 21, where the Lord was healing all manner of illness. It reads:
“14 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself?” 17 And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.”
The Pharisees and other leaders wanted Christ to rebuke the children for shouting their recognition of the authority by which He healed. Instead He rebuked the leaders quoting Psalm 8:2, thus showing that these children had a depth of knowledge and faith totally foreign to them.
On that afternoon long ago, sweet Hannah reminded me of the ultimate healer upon whom I could cast all of my cares. Although now 20 and a sophomore in college, she still reflects that innocence that continues to help me focus on my Savior and not my problems.
Ed Jones pastors Fellowship at the Ranch Church, which meets at the Robson Clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Visit Fellowship’s website: www.fellowshipattheranchchurch.org for more information.