“And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong- you want only what will give you pleasure.”
–James 4-3-(NLT)
You know how sometimes you have to wait in those long lines? I’m sure I don’t have to remind you, but let me blow off some steam anyway.
I once had to run an errand on my lunch hour, and The wait at the bank got down-right aggravating, as I was on a tight schedule. Glancing at my phone, I checked the time, and decided all I could do was think about getting this line moving.
But not having any luck, I grew bored, and my mother-in-law’s trip to Africa popped into my mind. At the time, I really didn’t know what that had to do with anything, but I was just standing there, so I decided to turn it over in my mind.
She wanted to know if we wanted any souvenirs, and I hadn’t responded. All at once, I had an idea which was a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. I knew why I was thinking about this, and while it wouldn’t help in the short term, it would soon ensure no more waiting in line.
I would ask my wife to have her mom get me a real live service hippo, and then watch all those people clear out. No more getting back to work late! I might even get that promotion because of my otherwise stellar record. I could have danced!
The only condition I would remain adamant about was that the hippo had to be house-broken. Otherwise, our apartment might have reason to charge for damages.
My wife did tell her mom in my hearing, so upon her return I waited with baited breath. I knew my new hippo would be coming, and I felt like a kid at Christmas.
When we all got together, I didn’t want to appear rude, but I was fidgeting as she told us about her trip in great detail. Finally she handed me a bag. I hoped my initial impatience didn’t show, as I regrouped a second later. “Of course,” I thought to myself. “She can’t carry a hippo in the baggage compartment. Don’t be stupid.” I wasn’t sure what kind of license I’d need, but this had to be it.
I pulled something out of the bag, with a plastic smile on my face. Instead of paperwork, my gift turned out to be nothing but a t-shirt.
I was paralyzed by a depression that lasted for weeks, though I tried not to show it. I knew my name would never be on that office door, so I decided to start my own business.
My plans to revolutionize customer service in America had gone down the tubes, and it looked like long lines would remain a fact. Furthermore, I found it hard to concentrate, and instead of getting ahead, I ended up seeing a psychiatrist.
Now if that story sounds absurd to you, that’s because it is. The only true element was my mother-in-law’s trip to Africa. Ironically, she gave my wife a pair of wooden hippo earrings, which is as close as I got to owning a service hippo.
But I use this story to make a point. When you stop and think about it, it’s no more ridiculous than some of the things we demand of God. Instead of asking for His will and waiting for His timing, we often have a microwave mentality when it comes to our prayers.
Obedience to God in this area means allowing Him to search our hearts and try our motives. Rather than getting stuck in the concrete of our own desire, our boldness needs to be tempered with reverence and respect for God.
To see what I mean, take some time to meditate on these closing verses, Psalm 8:3-5.
“When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers- the moon and the stars you set in place- what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.”
Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.mynvm.com and click on the PayPal button.
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