What's In It For Me?

One of the most painful lessons I learned came when I was a child.  My grandmother lived in Mississippi and once a month or so would make the trip to Memphis to visit us.  It seemed that every time she came, she brought me a gift.  Isn't that how grandma's operate?  They love spoiling their grand kids, right?  With that philosophy in mind, I got accustomed to a gift every time she came.  One day, I distinctly remember my mom hanging up the phone and announcing that "Nanny Joann" was coming to see us.  I in turn asked, "What is she bringing me?".  Immediately my mom caught on to my act.  She saw that I was more excited for the gift than for the visit from a loving grandmother.  I vividly remember the stern talking to I received.  My grandmother still came, but the gifts stopped coming. 

In our society, whose foundation is built on "things", it is easy to miss the giver and focus only on the gift.  This causes us to devalue the relationships we have with those around us.  As much as we might be guilty of this practice in our relationships, we are probably more inclined to look for the gift when it comes to God. How many times do we pray only when we are in need?  Or we are quick to thank Him only when He's given us something?  Better yet, we don't think Him a great God unless He gives us all that we ask?  I fear that too many of us see God, not as the Almighty and Sovereign Lord, but as a genie in a bottle.

I will admit, I have been guilty of praying a laundry list of wants.  Doesn't the Bible tell us to bring everything to God?

 Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

But I want to pose a new practice for you.  First, we have to believe that every need we have is able to be met by God. 

Philippians 4:19
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. 

This is a very well known verse, but do we actually believe it?  Personally, I have approached God with my needs only to get up from my knees and fix the problem on my own or try to do it myself.  Sometimes we don't see God meet our needs because we never give Him the chance.  A word of caution.....my choosing to fix my own problems and meet my own needs cost me a prison sentence.  Don't wait until you are locked up without any other option other than surrender to really let God meet your needs.  And quickly notice that the verse says, "all your needs."  Everything. Soup to nuts.  Nothing left behind or forgotten.  He does it all.  The flip side to that is actually defining what is a "need".... that is a whole other blog post....but you understand the point.

Second, I challenge you to not let your love for the King be contingent on what He gives or doesn't give.  Job is a fabulous example of that.  In Job 1:20, after learning that everything he had was destroyed and his daughters, sons and even his servants had died suddenly, what was Job's response?

Job 1:20
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship.

Job humbly accepted God's will without complaint and without blaming God.  Job acknowledged God's sovereign control in his life by worshiping him. That humble and heartfelt worship did not come out of a state of abundance, but the opposite....a tragedy.  What would our relationship be like if we chose to pray a prayer of love and adoration to the Lord instead always a list of needs.  In Tommy Tenney's book, One Night With The King, he encourages the reader to learn to love the King not for what the Kingdom can give us, but for the King Himself.  Tenney suggests praying a simple pray, "I love you, Lord", when we are most tempted to come only for gifts instead of talking with the giver. 

I loved that concept when I read the book.  In fact, I read the book when I wanted to beg for the Lord to meet my needs.  It was in my first week at Indiana Women's Prison and my list of requests was long.  I needed money, I wanted to be placed in a good job there at the prison, I wanted a kind roommate, I was waiting on the final details of my case, and so much more.  The list went on and on.  One night, as I was falling asleep, I was getting ready to pray on that list.  But instead, I thought of Tenny's suggestion and left the list behind.  I fell asleep praying, "I love you, Lord." over and over.  And the miraculous thing.....all my needs were met.  Everything I would have asked for that night came to fruition.  It didn't happen the next day, but over the course of the week, I saw God work to provide funds faster than I thought I would get them, He placed me in a job that required me to live on the nicest, smallest dorm...the one for pregnant moms and babies.  On top of that, He placed me with a roommate that was a new believer and desperately needed someone to help her understand God's word.  And the final details of my case, were nothing short of miraculous. 

God promises us that He has a good plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  He encourages us to not worry (Matt. 6:31).  He tells us that He cares for us and never leaves or forgets about us (Deut. 31:6).  With all these truths and promises, can we not learn to love the Lord for simply being our Lord?  Let us not get the calloused attitude of, "What's in it for me" when we go to the throne in prayer.  But let our prayers be a sweet fragrance to God because they are filled with scents of adoration and admiration.  May we be prompted to pray just to be in the presence of the King, to walk with Him, spend time with Him and learn more from Him.

I want to sit at your feet

Drink from the cup in Your hand

Lay back against You and breathe

And hear Your heartbeat

'Cause this love is so deep

It's more than I can stand

I melt in Your peace

It's overwhelming

  "The More I Seek You" - Kari Jobe