A Six Year Old, 500 Pine Cones, And A Really Big God


“Here you go. $25.00.”

I had texted his mother earlier in the day looking for some child labor. My yard was filled with pine cones. I was offering .05 cents per pine cone to get them up. My nephew Jonah took me up on the offer, and on a chilly Spring afternoon took to the yard to gather them up. When the task was done he had tallied 500 of them making his payday $25.00. That’s the collector himself in the picture above.

“It’s ok. I don’t really need any money. You can just give me $5.00.” 

Jonah was around 6 at the time and apparently had either been dropped on his head as an infant (something his mother never would have done, but not so sure about Dad), or was the most generous 6 year old around. I insisted, he refused, we agreed to the $5.00. If Jonah had asked me for $50.00 I probably would have said, yes, but he left with $5.00 because it was all he asked for.

Now I know God isn’t Santa Claus, nor a genie in a bottle, but he does still reveal himself to us as incredibly generous in the Scriptures with passages like this one standing out.

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

The passage is about giving God glory, but check out the description. God can do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. That’s incredible!

While prayer is always to be a part of our lives, many of us are in a season of fasting and prayer to begin the year. I want to challenge you to ask God for big things. Don’t settle for $5.00. 

I’m not talking about selfishly asking God for the things. The Scriptures clearly teach God isn’t moved by those requests. I’m talking about believing for your entire family’s salvation, boldly praying for healing, declaring prayers of deliverance over the bondages in the lives of those you love, and more. God is a big God. You can’t even measure the things he can do. Let’s believe for some immeasurable things.

And there’s no better time to begin asking than right now.

Following the Son,

James A Williams 

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