A Thought: Do You Want What You Shouldn't Have?

Recently I had a rather fiery discussion with one of my sons. He said that he liked old people (like me) and little little kids cause they don't have to work hard all day like he does. They get to do whatever they want while he has to wait to play video games.

Ah, the joys of being a father.

Reflecting on this discussion I recall many a prayer I have had with God. "Please if you love me you will let me have this...", it's amazing how your words and actions can come back to you. Anymore I will say things like, "Well if you think it's good for me to have this I will gladly accept it and I will do my best to listen to you and do with it as you wish." You know. A prayer of a similar nature was spoken when the lotto jackpot hit 1.5 BILLION.

God gives us what we can handle with his help, but that's the kicker. How many of us call on God for daily assistance to use the blessings he endows upon us? There are times that we beg and work hard for things that we should not have. God uses these times for learning moments. These are usually the time in reflection that I had wished I had kept my big mouth shut.

I find my life works the best when I stay focused on God. When I listen to his word and adhere to his teachings. When in doubt I try to find a quiet place and just listen. I listen to what God has to say and take his advice seriously.  I don't always like what he says but knows that it is right.

God loves you and wants you. If you choose to ignore him he still loves you. He is merely waiting for you to desire him. God has so much to offer if we let him.  When I finally opened my life to him I wanted more. I am even willing to repel in from the ceiling even to get more, his love is that awesome.

1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22
4Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations." 6But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 7And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. 10So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking a king from him. 11He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; 12and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. 13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. 15He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. 16He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work. 17He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. 18And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No! but we will have a king over us, 20that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles." 21And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. 22And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."

Psalms 89:16-19
15Blessed are the people who know the festal shout, who walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance, 16who exult in thy name all the day, and extol thy righteousness. 17For thou art the glory of their strength; by thy favor our horn is exalted. 18For our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Mark 2:1-12
1And when he returned to Caper'na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. 3And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. 5And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7"Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? 9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? 10But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- 11"I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." 12And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"