Back on Track

Every once in awhile my devious self will want something badly, and it is usually something that is temporal.  Of course, the thing I’m craving will be used for “spiritual” purposes, don’t you know. 

So I approach God with different ways of requesting this something, explaining that it will be used to “glorify Him”, and used to help XYZ Christian Organization, and so on.

My request is always the last of a stream of requests for family, friends, and others, and it is worded so as to sound selfless and helpful for others. My reason for mentioning it last is so that it will be most prominent in His mind, so I think.

But after a few weeks of this routine, I get bold and just come out with it, “Lord, please I want this thing.” 

Who am I kidding with the nicey nice prayers anyway? Certainly God knows what I am up to, but I continue to persist until I get tired of silence. Then I put the request on the shelf and let it be as He wishes.

My deceitful prayers remind me of the mother of James and John who in the book of Matthew is recorded as coming to Jesus, “adoring Jesus wishing to ask something of him.” She boldly asks that her boys be given seats of power, the greatest seats of power mind you, when Jesus would begin his rule on the earth. 

“Bless you my Lord, bless you, oh by the way, can the boys have lots of power and influence when you set up your kingdom?” I can hear her say.

In response, Jesus told her she didn’t know what she was asking for and that he was not in charge of those assignments. When the other disciples got wind of this, they were pretty disgusted with James and John.  

But maybe the boys were trying to discourage their strong willed mother with, “Ma, please not now,” or maybe they were scheming together.  Who knows but God, who knows all hearts and intentions.

Getting caught in this trap of feigning worship in exchange for some favor from God is low and despicable. We are not on this earth to accumulate things, we are here to worship Him in everything we say, think, and do. 

For me, the quickest cure for this latest “gimme episode” was a few chapters in the book Tortured for Christ by Pastor R. Wurmbrand.  He tells story after story of Christians giving up everything for the Lord in Communist Romania over 50 years ago.  Not figuratively but literally life and limb.

So what am I doing asking for things so unimportant when my brothers and sisters on the other side of this world are, more than ever, suffering for their faith?

   

I thank God He loves me enough to gently wake me up and put my brain back on track.