Intimacy or Blessings From God
Dear Champions,
The short excerpt is mainly by Andy Stanley in his book, Louder Than Words, but the last paragraph is from Larry Crab. The Scripture is Romans 11:35 Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?
You have probably known someone in your past who pursued a relationship with you for all the wrong reasons. Once you got close to that person, you realized he or she had a hidden agenda. Do you remember who that felt?
How do you respond, internally, to a person like that? Do you open up and become more transparent? Of course not. You become cautious, and you suspect actions and motives. You rehearse old conversations and think, So that is why he said that.
Think a minute. If your interaction with God is focused primarily on getting something from Him, what does that say about your relationship? You are not coming to Him on terms that warrant a relationship of intimacy.
Still, God listens to our self-centered prayers. Sometimes He actually grants our requests. But as long as we see Him only as a means to our ends, we will never experience intimacy, and we will never truly know Him. For this unique depth of relationship is reserved for those who respect Him, trust Him, and are willing to communicate honestly with Him. It is withheld from those who dishonor Him by treating Him like a mere vending machine.
From Larry Crab: We approach Jesus the way a child approaches a weary Santa Claus in the mall, who for the hundredth time asks, What do you want for Christmas? I wager no child has ever pressed close to Santa s chest, looked up into his eyes, and said, You! I want only you. No child believes having Santa join him for dinner could bring more joy than watching Santa stack presents beneath the tree. Do we want the blessing of a better life more than we desire to draw near to Jesus?
Champions, have a great week!-David Vining
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