Do You Want God or What God Has?
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’” - Matthew 22:37
Yesterday, we talked about sacrifice. As a believer, you will have to sacrifice something (probably on more than one occasion) at some point in your life. The Bible says so. Romans 12:1 tells us that we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. God’s Word is filled with stories of those who followed Him and how they were asked to sacrifice something very important to them.
One of the greatest Biblical examples of sacrifice is Abraham. Genesis 22 tells us of a time when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his most prized possession: his son. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, prayed for a child for years and years. And in their old age, God fulfilled His promise of giving them a son. Now, God was asking Abraham to take his son, Isaac, to a mountain top and offer him as a sacrifice.
Abraham did exactly what God had asked and was willing to sacrifice his son. However, God did not have Abraham go through with the sacrifice. God did not want Abraham to sacrifice his son; he wanted to test Abraham’s heart. He wanted to determine if Abraham loved the gift more than the gift giver.
What about you? Do you love the gift giver, or the gifts He gives? In other words, do you want God or do you just want what God has for you? God is not a genie that just wants you to come to Him when you have wishes or demands. He desires to have a personal relationship with you. This is why the Bible uses so many references of “Father.”
Like a father, God wants to talk to you and know you on a personal level. He cannot do this if the only time you are talking to Him is when you want something. There is so much more to experience in your relationship with Christ than simply happiness when He blesses you with rewards. God wants to be involved in every aspect of your life. Nothing is too small or unimportant to Him. He loves you, and if it is important to you, it is important to Him.
Do not just chase what God has but chase Him. Every aspect of your life will be better as a result.
Yesterday, we talked about sacrifice. As a believer, you will have to sacrifice something (probably on more than one occasion) at some point in your life. The Bible says so. Romans 12:1 tells us that we should present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. God’s Word is filled with stories of those who followed Him and how they were asked to sacrifice something very important to them.
One of the greatest Biblical examples of sacrifice is Abraham. Genesis 22 tells us of a time when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his most prized possession: his son. Abraham and his wife, Sarah, prayed for a child for years and years. And in their old age, God fulfilled His promise of giving them a son. Now, God was asking Abraham to take his son, Isaac, to a mountain top and offer him as a sacrifice.
Abraham did exactly what God had asked and was willing to sacrifice his son. However, God did not have Abraham go through with the sacrifice. God did not want Abraham to sacrifice his son; he wanted to test Abraham’s heart. He wanted to determine if Abraham loved the gift more than the gift giver.
What about you? Do you love the gift giver, or the gifts He gives? In other words, do you want God or do you just want what God has for you? God is not a genie that just wants you to come to Him when you have wishes or demands. He desires to have a personal relationship with you. This is why the Bible uses so many references of “Father.”
Like a father, God wants to talk to you and know you on a personal level. He cannot do this if the only time you are talking to Him is when you want something. There is so much more to experience in your relationship with Christ than simply happiness when He blesses you with rewards. God wants to be involved in every aspect of your life. Nothing is too small or unimportant to Him. He loves you, and if it is important to you, it is important to Him.
Do not just chase what God has but chase Him. Every aspect of your life will be better as a result.
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