First Response

By Karen Brown

I woke up to my six year old crying. He had made his way in a sleepy stupor to my bedside to tell me he was sick. He climbed onto the pillow next to me as I asked him what was hurting. It was hard to really make out his words, but I did understand he was in pain and wanted me to snuggle him back to sleep. He told me, “I woke up and I prayed to Jesus to feel better, but it just isn’t working yet.”

In that moment, I wanted to be more like my child. I wanted my faith to be as simple as his. I wanted my first response to be one of turning to my Heavenly Father for comfort and healing. There are so many times, in both distress and in joy that I turn to others first. I turn to my husband or my girlfriends to sympathize with what I am going through, or just to complain. I turn to others to celebrate with me, before giving thanks to God for the blessings He has bestowed on me.

I thank God each day for the joy and privilege it is to be a mom. And today I thanked God for the reminder from a six year old to make Him my first response. 

As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you...  Isaiah 66:13