My son was seven last week! I can hardly believe it! We had a little tea party for him at our house. When we sang “happy birthday” he closed his eyes and said he was making a wish. That was the first time he said that and it is not something we have ever taught him or encouraged, so, I knew there was an opportunity to teach him about trusting in God and putting all our hope and faith in Him.

Making a wish might seem harmless, after all, everyone does it. Wishing, like many other things, if used incorrectly, can produce very bad results. Wanting material things and being fixated by a little wish planted in our hearts can transform us into very ungrateful and bitter people. When the party finished and everyone had gone we opened presents and played with them. Just before bedtime we had a chat about the wish. I explained to him and to my daughter who is 5, that we should never really be wishing for something more, or better, with the wrong motivation in our hearts. We should always be grateful for what we have. We spoke about the things we need and how God has promised He will provide for us.

We also talked about the wishing that comes from a heart with the right motivation in mind. We talked about all those people who don’t have Jesus as their king and how we can wish (desire) for them to know Him and be part of His family. Or desiring to be helpful at home and at school . Then we all prayed that Jesus would help us wish for the right things.

 I am very grateful to God for giving me the chance to chat to the children about it, but mostly for giving me a chance to look into my own heart and think about what kind of wishes I have been wishing for. Then I was reading Psalm 27 and wished I could be a little more like David.

One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in his temple. Psalm 27:4