Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. –James 1:17
He had only one eye and his arm was dangling by a thread. But four-year-old Hannah loved Bear. Bear always accompanied her to Sunday School. One day her teacher suggested the class pray for people who were sick and hurting. The children prayed for hungry children around the world, sick relatives, and broken relationships. Hannah put her arms around poor, tattered Bear. She prayed, “Dear Jesus, please make Bear better.”
Then Hannah had such a good time at church, she forgot Bear and left without him. One of Hannah’s teachers, who heard her prayer took Bear home to “heal” him. She replaced both eyes with pretty new buttons and sewed the arm back on. When she gave Bear back to Hannah on the next Sunday, Hannah was filled with joy. “God fixed Bear,” she said.
What Hannah would later understand about God, is that sometimes He heals directly; other times he uses people like her Sunday School teacher to sew our bears together and help mend the broken parts of our lives.
GOING DEEPER:
1. When has God used someone in your life to help you with a burden?
2. What characteristic of God do you see in James 1:17 and Matthew 7:11
FURTHER READING:
Psalm 85:7-13; Matthew 7:11