Something You Can Do

Do you want to live for Jesus and please Him? Maybe sometimes you have trouble getting along with others like Daniel did. Or maybe you have a habit of doing things “later” as did Princess Precious. There are many times where we are weak or puzzled or afraid, but there is One who is able to help us. No matter how big the troubles seem to be, there is something you can do—

You Can Pray

Jesus wants to be your strength. He wants to take the broken things in your life and make them strong and useful. He wants to make the sad people happy. He wants to take away your fears and give you peace. How can He do all these things? Let’s see if you can figure it out from this true story:

Johnny was poor. His mother worked hard for their daily bread. “Please give me something to eat, for I am very hungry,” he said to her one evening.

His mother let her sewing fall upon her knees and put an arm around him. Her tears fell on his face as she said, “Johnny, my dear, I have not a penny in the world. There is no bread in the house, so I can not give you any tonight.”

Johnny did not cry when he heard this. He was only a little fellow, but he had learned the lesson of trusting in God’s promises. He believed in Jesus’ words, “Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.”* (John 16:23)

“Never mind, Mama,” he said. “I will soon be asleep; but you must sit and sew, hungry and cold. Poor Mama!” He threw his arms around her neck and kissed her.

It was time to pray, and he knelt by his mother’s knee as she began, “Our Father….” He repeated the words after her until they came to the petition “Give us this day our daily bread.”* (Matthew 6:11) The way in which his mother prayed these words made Johnny’s heart ache. He stopped and looked at her, and repeated with eyes full of tears, “Give us this day our daily bread.”

When they had finished the prayer, he said, “Now Mother, do not be afraid. We shall never be hungry any more. God is our Father. He had promised to hear us, and I am sure he will.”

So Johnny went to bed. Before midnight he woke up, while his mother still sat sewing, and asked if the bread had come yet. She said, “No, but I am sure it will come.”

In the morning, before Johnny was awake, a gentleman knocked at the door. He wanted a lady to come and care for his two motherless children. When Johnny’s mother agreed to go, he left some money with her. It was plenty to buy some things for breakfast, and so when Johnny awoke the bread was there—all that he needed!

What did Johnny do when he had a problem? He didn’t complain, but believed God would take care of them. He prayed, because he believed his Heavenly Father was listening. And did God listen? Oh, yes! God is ready to help in all our needs if we come to Him in confidence and expect an answer, as Johnny did.