But, But I REALLY WANT IT!

Malachi 3:13-20B

You have defied me in word, says the LORD,
yet you ask, "What have we spoken against you?"
You have said, "It is vain to serve God,
and what do we profit by keeping his command,
And going about in penitential dress
in awe of the LORD of hosts?
Rather must we call the proud blessed;
for indeed evildoers prosper,
and even tempt God with impunity."
Then they who fear the LORD spoke with one another,
and the LORD listened attentively;
And a record book was written before him
of those who fear the LORD and trust in his name.
And they shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts,
my own special possession, on the day I take action.
And I will have compassion on them,
as a man has compassion on his son who serves him.
Then you will again see the distinction
between the just and the wicked;
Between the one who serves God,
and the one who does not serve him.
For lo, the day is coming, blazing like an oven,
when all the proud and all evildoers will be stubble,
And the day that is coming will set them on fire,
leaving them neither root nor branch,
says the LORD of hosts.
But for you who fear my name, there will arise
the sun of justice with its healing rays.

There were days when I would get so mad to see one of my classmates in elementary school get away with something that I thought was totally wrong. As I got older I saw complete jerks get the prettiest girls, and I would just sit there stupefied and stew in my anger. As I got older I would lament as I saw men and women cheat in the world of business and blatantly steal from their customers. Let's face it, the world is full of evil and people looking for the easy way to get ahead. Take notice here, God is watching. He's watching the good and the evil. We live in a culture where we have instant access to so much. Google has completely spoiled us, but God is looking at the long game. Remember this world, this life is a mere journey. You are constantly walking home whether you realize it or not. You arrive on your death, where are you walking to, Heaven or hell?

Luke 11:5-13

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,'
and he says in reply from within,
'Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.'
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.

"And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?"

I ain't gonna lie, first time I read this I looked up and said, "Alright Jesus, gimme that million dollars!" I laugh so hard at myself now. Needless to say I didn't get my million dollars. Probably if I had I wouldn't be writing this, and I probably wouldn't be following God. Notice here how Jesus speaks about how a good father gives good gifts, a good father gives GOOD gifts. There have been plenty that my children have asked me for, things that were within my reach that I know are not good for them. I have two boys dying right now to have their Xbox back, but I'm still holding out because I don't believe that they are ready to have it back because of the way their attitude changes towards everyone after they play for a short time. It's not that I don't want them to have it. It's not that I think Xbox's are evil. It's that I know how they will act if they have it, and I want them to be happy, full of love and spreading love like God asks, not angry, rude and deceitful because they can never play enough.

Jesus,

I love you. Your'e totally awesome. Your teachings, when I pay attention to them, same me from so much pain. I don't always like what you have to say but I know that it is truth spoken. Help me to see the long game. Help me to see that my place in Heaven is more important than anything on this earth. Help me to love like you do and make this world a better place.

In Jesus Christ's name I pray,

Amen