James 4:1-6
Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.
You wouldn’t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you’d be asking for what you have no right to. You’re spoiled children, each wanting your own way.
You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Eleven years ago today, a horrific terroristic attack occurred in New York City at the World Trade Center. I can’t imagine there is a person alive over the age of 10 who hasn’t at least heard about “9-11,” as it is commonly known. And yes, evil people who wanted their way took matters into their own hands, using violence and killing innocent people in an attempt to make their point.
While we cannot – and must not – forget what happened on September 11, 2001, we must remember that in our own way, we all fight and quarrel and would do anything to get what we want. More than a few of us wage an inner battle with such things as controlling our anger, our tongue or our thoughts… weight loss and/or keeping fit and healthy… addictions from smoking to drinking, drug abuse, gambling, overeating, overspending, and more… and a variety of things we crave to satisfy our ego. We trick ourselves into thinking we are asking God for His will by praying, “LORD, please help me with this,” but our translation is, “LORD… please give me what I want!” And the results wreak havoc in our own life… and the lives of many of those we encounter on a daily basis.
Let’s be honest, a lot of us are willing to go to great lengths to get what we want or to have things our way. Thankfully, very few among us will physically kill another person to accomplish this, but we destroy our health and our relationships, wipe out our bank accounts, and compromise our faith… all because we want what isn’t ours – or we want to do and say whatever we please. And in many ways, these actions are as much a form of murder as if we had pulled the trigger on a gun. We don’t ask God to give us what we want, because we know in our gut that He will say “No” – and with good reason. So we connive, argue and wage battle within our self and with others… and we make a huge mess of things.
Now that you’ve tried “having it your way” and seen how futile this can be… why not give God’s way a chance? Isn’t it time you tried humility and genuinely asked God to meet your daily needs? What if you humbly and honestly asked God to guide your steps… to give you the determination to kick that bad habit or actually engage in a daily workout… to grant you the willpower to resist buying things you don’t need and participating in activities that are wrong for you, at best – or downright immoral at their core… to control your thoughts and your tongue?
What if we started to think about the wide-ranging ramifications of our words and actions and asked God to help us do what is right for us – and for those we encounter? This passage tells us that what God gives in love is better than anything we will find on our own… that He gives His grace to the willing humble. What do you supposed could happen if we dropped pretense and ego… and operated humbly in the will of God? Are you ready to find out? Isn’t today a great day to begin?
©2012 Debbie Robus
No comments:
Post a Comment