Monday, March 24, 2014

Obligatory Gifts Do Not Please God

Another facebook friend today posted a comment that she was watching the movie "Fireproof." I liked that movie for a number of reasons, but what struck me most was, that husband attempts to do what he should in his fleshly in an obligatory fashion, he brings dead looking flowers. After he has repented and really wants to please his wife, the next flowers he brings are lush and beautiful. His gift each time reflected his inner heart.

I see this in the account of Cain and Able too, the gift reflects the real us. When we give a gift because we are expected to, it is dead and lifeless, lacking luster and grace.

When we give a gift from the depth of love that is in our heart, the gift will reflect that.

It isn't about the size of the gift or its expense that can be seen, it is the love with which it is presented. Those who give obligatory gifts to be able to say they did it, will not leave the residue of godly kindness and love.

I would rather not receive a gift if it is going to be because someone felt obligated. God is like that too. The Catholic "holy day of obligation", which they call their Sunday's and other designated holy days, is an abomination to God.

Jeremiah 29:13
"And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart."

Psalm 37:4
"Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart."

When we love the Lord, our desires will line up with His will. God does not give us desires that do not honor Him, nor does He just give us what we want. God is more concerned with our holiness than our happiness.

He often gives us things we do not deserve to show us His kindness toward us. However, He will not give us what we want if it is going to conflict with His Will.

If we are delighted in Him, then we will want His perfect will, our desires will be godly ones, not superficial things as though we are children just wanting our toys.

We forget that, often I beg God for something I want, even things that seem to be good and right, but God does not always give them to me, because His plan is different from my desires.

We have to trust Him for each day, knowing He will give us our needs, but not always our wants. Sometimes, in this prosperous country we forget what real needs are and think that wants are needs. Many things that are available to us are not needs.

Perhaps if we praise the Lord everyday for what He has already given us, we won't have time to whine about what we think we want and don't have.

James 4:3 "You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures."

May our gifts to God be a broken and contrite heart desiring to be changed by Him, happy at whatever He decides to give us. He already have us the greatest gift any one can, that of eternal life at no cost to ourselves except to receive it.

Ephesians 2:8
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;"

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