Elijah and the Toothbrush

     My husband Mark and I wanted our little boy, Elijah to start brushing his teeth.  He didn't like the idea.  He didn't want to do it himself and he wouldn't let me do it for him, so his teeth were going unbrushed.  Elijah's peditrition said that he was getting some build up and that he needed to start brushing.  Mark and I decided to hold him and brush them for him, Big mistake.  After that there was no possible way he was going to brush his teeth by himself.  We forced him and he ended up hating something that was supposed to be good for him.  After a week of hearing Elijah screem every time I showed him his toothbrush, we gave up for a while. 
     Then, we tried sometning new.  Elijah loves juice, first thing every morning he wants his juice.  This particular morning we said, "Sorry baby, no juice until you take the toothbrush, and at least touch it to your teeth."  Elijah took the toothbrush, and he threw the toothbrush.  I gave it to him again and he threw it again.  I gave it back to him and he took it, and hid it in the living room.  He was so stuborn, he went most of the day drinking only water.  He would ask for juice and I would say, "Yes, you can have juice as soon as you touch the toothbrush to your teeth."  And finally, he broke down and cried for juice.
     Then it happened, having that juice meant more to Elijah than having his own way.  He found his toothbrush, and he brought it to me and he said, "Brush teeth?" Then he did it, he touched the toothbrush to his teeth.  I clapped and hugged him!  Then I gave Elijah that juice that I had ready and waiting for him.  And all he had to do was get what he wanted in line with what I wanted for him. 
     The next morning he faught brushing his teeth again, but he did end up brushing his teeth and getting his juice.  Every day it got a little easier, until one morning I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth and he came in and asked if he could brush his teeth also.
     This taught me something about prayer.  I used to think that I needed to talk God into things, convince him with my prayers.  I realized, I was wrong.  1 samuel is the story about Hanna.  She wanted a child.  The longer she prayed and didn't get one.  The more desperate she got for a child.  She finally got down and cried before God, "God, if you just give me a son, I will give him to you!"  That was it, that was what God wanted all along.  He was ready and waiting to give her that baby, He just wanted Hanna to do one thing, promise that baby to Him.  She didn't persuade God to do anything, He gently persuaded her to give him something that they both wanted.  When her heart was ready , He gave her what He had planned for her from the beginning of time.
     I love Elijah, I want the best for him, but forcing him to do what would be good for him only made him hate it.  Bringing him to a place where he would change his feelings about something he didn't want so that he could have something he did want, worked.  After that experience, Elijah brushed his teeth on his own.
     God sets it up so that we get to a place that we desire what he already wants for us.  Then we cry out to God, "Please give us what we desire!"  And when our desires and our hearts are in line with his will and his desire for us , He says, "Yes!"  
     Psalm 145:19, "He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him, He also hears their cry and saves them."