Anything less than the best

Allow me to go old school for a moment....

Do you remember the 1990 song, "Ice Ice Baby," recorded by Vanilla Ice. Not that I make a habit of creating life mottos out of 90s rap songs, but this song did have one great line that we could all benefit from:

"Anything less than the best is a felony." Imagine if we all chose to make decisions based on what was absolutely the best for us and we didn't settle for less. What if it was a crime, a felony no doubt, to settle for mediocre lives, jobs, relationships, health, finances. I think Vanilla Ice and his lyrics had a point.

Earlier this summer I happened to run into a friend I hadn't talked to in awhile. She was bringing me up to speed on some of the life obstacles she was up against and I was reminded of the story in the Bible where the Israelites circled the city of Jericho until the walls fell.

In talking to my friend, I encouraged her to keep praying on her particular issue and not give up or settle for anything less than what she felt God had promised he would give her. The Israelites didn't give up and they didn't settle. They walked around that city for days until the walls fell. Then they were able to receive the best God had for them.

So many times we as believers approach the throne with our requests and petitions with earnest prayers, but we give up waiting on God's best. We either choose to make it happen on our own, or we leap at the first sign of something appearing to be our answered prayer.

The Israelites didn't force open the gates to the city of Jericho. They didn't decide to make camp on the outside of the city walls. They didn't give up and go home after a couple of days. No they kept on until God came through as promised. They didn't settle for less.

There are moments when we pray for something for so long and a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel makes us jump off our knees and run towards what seems to be the answer. Often times we find that we have only come to the unlocked gate. The walls haven't fallen, the city hasn't been handed over to us, God hasn't done His work just yet. But our anxious hearts push through the gate because we want resolution. What waits on the other side is frustration.

Imagine if the Israelites had done things their way. They would have had a war on their hands and lives would have been lost -- that plan would have been mediocre at best. But when God did it...when His plan was fulfilled, the wall fell and the people walked right into the best God had for them.

Anything less than God's best is not "best" at all. When we try to force things to happen or when we choose to settle for what might be only part of what God had planned for us...it is a crime, a felony, in the relationship we have with Him. Don't settle. Don't give up. Keep walking.

And dare I say...keep rapping..."Anything less than the best is a felony."