The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught. -Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)
I got the storybook Good Good Father (by Chris Tomlin and Pat Barrett) to read my son to sleep, and it’s become his favorite lately. But the book doesn’t just teach young believers, but convict and remind older believers about what really matters.
In the book, a young bear named Tucker wants to help his friends, who are fighting, sick, hungry, illiterate, and sad. Not sure how to help them, he has a thought: The good King might help them, if Tucker could find the perfect gift to bring him.
Along the way, various animals stop him to tell him that the King is a good warrior, teacher, doctor, farmer, and musician, and they give him what they believe are the perfect offerings to the king. Tucker is confused, and brings all the gifts with him to the King.
The King runs to Tucker, welcoming him and telling him he brought the perfect gift. As Tucker and the King head out to help his friends, Tucker still puzzles inside over which gift was the perfect one.
Along the way, Tucker asks the King if he’s all the things that the animals said he was…and the King replied affirmatively to all of his questions. After the King helped and showed his love for all of Tucker’s friends, Tucker now understood that the King was indeed all of those things, because he was a Good Good Father.
Finally, Tucker has to know: Which gift was the perfect gift? (Do you know the answer?)
The King replied that Tucker was the perfect gift, not any of the things he brought! Tucker came to the King for help in faith. Likewise, God wants us to come to Him unadorned, without what we think are the perfect prayers, motions, offerings, or gifts. He wants our genuine, heartfelt worship and relationship with him.
We’re like Tucker. We just need to come as we are.
Today’s soundtrack
Crowder’s “Come As You Are” reminds us to come to God alone.
Did this song move you? Consider buying it on Amazon Music »
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