I would like to share an article from a guest writer for my turn at the devotional page this time. My wife, Jamie Fugitt, wrote this for a daily devotional publication.

If you do not currently practice some kind of daily time of prayer and scripture reading, I encourage you to take up this practice. It is amazing how a little time spent with God can reorient your day. — Jeff Fugitt

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Three-year-old Kate had spent a day with me the previous week, and she delighted in the strawberries I had given her as a snack.

When I picked her up again, her first words to me were, “Do you have strawberries?” I told her I didn’t, and I watched her eyes cloud and her smile fade. I quickly added, “But I do have oranges and bananas.”

Kate’s eyes brightened, and she excitedly exclaimed, “Yeah, I like those too!” Kate enjoyed the oranges and bananas as much as she had enjoyed the strawberries. This sweet interaction with Kate made me ponder our responses to God.

We often ask for blessings and hope to receive the same gifts we were given before.

But God may have a different gift in store for us. Do we respond positively to God’s good gift or do we wish for something else?

When we pray, we should be open to the gifts that God has for us in the present. James tells us, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17 NKJ).

God has a variety of gifts and blessings to offer, and each one may be different than the last. We can anticipate them all with the excitement and joy of a child.

In Matthew 7:11 we read, “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” (NLT). Remember God has good gifts for us today!

Published in the January-February 2024 edition of The Upper Room Daily Devotional Guide.

Jamie Fugitt is the wife of Jeff Fugitt, pastor of Cassville United Methodist Church.