Written by Vinnie Tumia
When a relationship is new, there is little that irritates us.
- Chomping of food has never been cuter.
- Snoring is funny.
- Always being late is not so bad.
- Messiness is a minor offense.
- Laziness is excusable.
However, the honeymoon phase of relationships doesn’t usually last very long. Time has a way of changing our priorities, and dulling once-exciting relationships. Every quirk starts to bring grief, and every annoying habit births new frustration.
Relationships at their core are about connecting with people, not what we can gain from them. Selfishness is at the root of all that cools love and friendships. A loss of this truth sours marriages, friendships, and our relationship with God. This situation can even be found in key relationships in Scripture.
Genesis 15:1-2 “After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?”
God expressed His clear hope for a relationship with Abraham. “I am… thy exceeding great reward.” While God was Abraham’s provider, that was not the priority. “I want to be your love, your dreams, and your favorite conversation. I want to be the first you think to share good news with, and the last you say goodnight to.”
God would never give the life of His Son Jesus for religious ceremonies or occasional conversations. Instead, He longs for relationship, and seeks our love. The sad part of the story is the immediate selfish response of Abraham to God’s proclamation.
“Lord God, what wilt thou give me?”
Abraham has little concern for God’s feelings or having a meaningful friendship with Him. “What do I get out of the deal?” is all Abraham wondered. We probably should drop the stones of judgment because we are often as guilty of this as Abraham. We seek the hand of God more than the face of God. Like Abraham, many of our prayers are requests and demands— “Lord God, what wilt thou give me?”
We need the same desire for God that David expresses in Psalms 27:8
“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.”
Let’s commit to seeking time with God more than seeking gifts from Him.
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