The Gingerbread Man
By Dorris McMaster, 2020

“Run, run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me–I’m the gingerbread man!”
If you ever heard this story as a child, you will remember the gingerbread man could run faster than anyone–until he ended up being eaten by the fox while crossing the river. If you ask me, that seems to be a very scary story for young children.
A lot of us are like that gingerbread man. We’re always running around and doing our own thing. We try to avoid our family, friends and problems, instead of facing our situation. We don’t ask God for His guidance or pray to Him. We just try to figure things out on our own.
While we are running around busily, the devil is chasing us everywhere, trying to gobble us up. The Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out! Your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
The Bible goes on to tell how we need to be faithful, asking God for guidance by praying, reading our Bibles, and having Christian fellowship. In Philippians 4:6 it says, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for what he has done.”
God can and will do wonderful things for us and help us with our problems, if we only pray and ask it in His name. John 14:13-14 says, “And whatsoever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the son of God can bring glory to the father. Yes, ask anything in my name and I would do it.”
It sometimes feels like He does not answer our prayers, but He always does when the time is right. Sometimes His answer is ‘not now’ or ‘no’. In any case, all we must do is be patient and wait upon Him. This can be hard for us, because we want an answer right away. However, Matthew 7:7 says, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will open to you.”
I was recently in the hospital, and a friend came to visit me. When she asked how I was doing, I told her I felt overwhelmed with all the medical issues, and what was going on with me. I had been a resident of the hospital three times in a little over two months.
My friend asked me, “Have you been praying?”
I realized that I really had not. It’s a lot easier for me to pray for others than to pray for myself.
My friend told me to start praying and asking God for His guidance in His name, and He would answer. I started to pray more often, and God lifted my burden. I started to feel less overwhelmed, and more grateful that I was getting well. Instead of panicking, I felt God’s comfort and peace.
So instead of running, find a quiet place where you can be still, and reflect on God’s goodness in your life.
Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 101 S Kraemer BLVD, Suite 123A, Placentia, CA 92870.
Finally, you’re always welcome to join our Tuesday night Bible study. These studies are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 6:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 313-209-8800. Our PIN is 8699032. We hope to talk with you soon!
If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.