We know God loves us, but do we truly grasp just how much He loves to delight us?

While we were on vacation in Oregon (see last week’s posts for more pictures) my 5 year old daughter had one desire: to find a starfish. The majority of our time was spent in places that would make this impossible, but our plan for the last day included a beach excursion to harvest mussels.  Since mussels grow on large rocks in the tidal zone, this was her chance, if she was going to find a starfish, it would be there.

She had been waiting all week, and the night before our excursion she was anxiously asking, “Do you really think I’ll find one there, mama?”  I would always answer with some sort of platitude or deflection until the questions became more and more frequent. Finally, inspiration struck!

“Baby, I don’t have control over the starfish,” I said, “But we know the One who does. God loves you, and He loves to make you smile.  Why don’t you pray and ask Him to leave you a starfish on the beach?”

Somewhat skeptical that the God would care for such a little detail, she asked me to help her pray, so we did.

The next morning we rose early and drove about 30 minutes to our destination.  When we arrived, the adults were on a hunt for mussels, and the kids were just excited for tide pools to explore.  We sort of forgot about the starfish for a while.  And then she saw them. Clumped together in groups so numerous you couldn’t count them if you tried. All different colors and sizes. God had delighted her!  As she ran from rock to rock along the beach, I was reminded of just how much we forget the intimacy and detail with which our Maker cares for us.  He doesn’t just give us what we need in an overarching “big ticket item” sort of way; He pays attention to the details and the desires of our hearts.  Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 in every detail of their lives.” As adults we often forget to ask Him for the little treasures, we are so consumed with the big things.

But He is faithful in both! What an incredible testimony to the power of prayer, and God’s delight in His children, for my little girl (and me) to hang on to.