In or Out?

And then he prayed, “God, I’m asking for two things before I die; don’t refuse me—banish lies from my lips and liars from my presence. Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor too little. If I’m too full, I might get independent, saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’ If I’m poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9) 

Neither too much, nor too little - are we operating by the "Goldilocks Principle"? We don't want too hard of a bed, nor too soft - it has to be just right. We don't want too much food, nor too small of portions to satisfy - we want them to be just right. We don't want too much hardship, but neither do we expect to live totally without any - it just cannot be too overwhelming to deal with. Most of us want to live by the standards that "suit" us the best. The only problem with this is our inability to really decide on what "suits" us best. We have a "warped" idea of what is "best" for us - because we base what is "best" on what brings us the most comfort, suits our present needs, or just plain doesn't cost us very much to obtain. Not always the best way to make decisions, if I may say so myself! Too much allows us to live just a little too independently and too little might just lead to us making a few unwise decisions which we not only will regret, but which will bring dishonor to the name of God. If I get this scripture correctly, there is a fine balance God is looking for - one which keeps us close enough to him to feel deep peace, yet just hungry enough to move whenever he moves! Being so content with God's love that we desire no other - our hunger drives us closer, not searching for something or someone else to satisfy us.

Nothing satisfies quite like the magnitude of God's riches. Some of us imagine getting closer to Jesus than ever before. Indeed, a good starting place for our day - yet, if we draw closer to him and still don't reach out to others, we really haven't grown in the closeness he desires. We might just have become a little more "religious" instead of growing in the depth of our relationship with him. It is this relationship that brings us to the place of reaching out to others in need, seeking to share from the abundance of what we have found in our relationship. To become so "heavenly minded" that we are of "no earthly good" is not what God desires. In fact, he desires we become so "heavenly hearted" that we cannot help but be of "earthly good"! Neither too much - for it leads to independent thought and action. Neither too little - for it leads to misconduct and damaged reputations. Is the "middle-ground" what some may refer to as "mediocrity"? Nope, I think God has a perfect middle-ground for each of us which really makes us more "grounded" individuals. It is when we are close enough to his heart to experience his heartbeat firsthand, and yet not content to experience this alone. We want others with us in this experience, so we continue to reach out to those who haven't drawn close to him yet, drawing them into his presence and close to his heart.

Independent thought leads to independent action. I am a pretty strong individual - sometimes too strong for my own good. I can fix my own plumbing, but whenever I have to get down on my knees for too long to actually fit into those tight spaces, I find I don't bend as easily as I did before! I can mow my own lawns, but I pay the price of dealing with my allergies when I do. There are a lot of things I can do in my independence and strength, but the consequences of always doing things independent of God's direction and wisdom are not always those we'd like to experience! A lack of contentment can drive us in many different directions, cannot it not? Sometimes it drives us right back to square zero and we find ourselves relying heavily upon developing our relationship with Jesus a little deeper or afresh. At other times, it drives us toward more "promising" ventures - but the "promises" of any venture that takes us further from Jesus is really not any venture we'd like to be on. Trust me on that one! My prayer for us today - neither too much, nor too little. You in? Just askin!

Bless me, bless me, bless me

Sometimes it is hard looking at our friends, seeing them move into gorgeous new homes, driving swanky new cars, or jetting off to far away places on vacation after vacation. We get a little envious at times, don't we? We'd like a new home - ours is good, but it doesn't have all the features their new ones offers. We wish our cars ran as smoothly with less visits to the mechanic shop, but they still get us places we need to be. We have desires to explore islands afar, but a simple tent in the woods is all our budget will allow at present. Yet, when we stop to think on this just a little, we might just remember how truly blessed we are in this life - all because of the extravagant generosity of God!

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It's way over our heads. We'll never figure it out. Is there anyone around who can explain God? Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do? Anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice? Everything comes from him; everything happens through him; everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes. (Romans 11:33-36 MSG)

Answer the question honestly - have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God? We probably all would find we have so much in the way of "riches" right in our own possession and we either don't see them, or we have been taking them for granted all this time. The immediate blessing that likely comes to mind is the incredibly unfathomable acceptance of each of us into the family of God. We are not from royalty, but we have been adopted into a family of incredible royalty! Now, there's a blessing for us to truly consider! What about the blessings of our ability to do simple tasks which we take for granted so very often? Things like brushing our teeth, combing our hair, and buttoning our own clothing. As a nurse, I have seen thousands over the years lose this very ability - through the effects of crippling arthritis, spinal cord injuries, or neurological assaults on the brain. We just don't know what a blessing it is to be able to complete these simple tasks until we find ourselves unable to do them!

Now that you have thought of a few blessings you maybe have taken for granted, it is important for us to keep in mind that we'll never figure out God. Try as we might, God's wisdom, grace, and unconditional love are unfathomable to us in their totality - we get bits and pieces of these, but not really a full understanding of them! Everything comes from him. Everything happens through him. Everything ends in him. Everything! All we "possess". All which seemingly just "happens" in our day. All are a result of him being the Lord of our lives. Nothing is by our own creation - we are nothing and able to create nothing without him. Nothing is by our own efforts - he gives us the breath and strength to undertake the task at hand. When we stop to consider one word that might describe God, we could probably sum him up with the word "Everything". When we stop to consider what we are without God, we think of one word: Nothing. So, if we want "everything" - we are really saying we want more of God - not the blessings, but the ONE who blesses us in ways we cannot possibly comprehend.

Before we start wishing for more of what we "think" we need, maybe we should start asking for more of what we "really" need! God is never more honored than when we bring our need to him. It is in the acknowledging of our dependence upon him that he is brought honor. Apart from God, we really possess nothing. In God, we are blessed with and through everything! It is not just what we possess, but what possesses us! God's greatest glory is not found in us figuring him out - - it is in us honoring him with our obedience and love in spite of the fact we don't understand all he does and all he is! Our "unlimited blessing" is really most rewarding when it is realized in the courts of God. Just sayin!