THE IF..THEN GAME

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to faithhopegodlove@aol.com In Christ, Mark

"Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father's house, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth." Genesis 28:20-22

Yesterday, we examined the passage in Genesis 28 where Jacob dreamed about angels ascending and descending from heaven to earth on a stairway with God blessing him and his descendants from above. As Jacob awakes, we read about his very thoughts as he proclaims," Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it…How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." I defined his experience as a God-experience and proposed that we have these all the time but too often take them for granted or miss recognizing them thus missing the chance to be in a spirit of rejoicing like Jacob. Truly, God is everywhere and anywhere we might be.

Now you would think that an experience like Jacob had would fortify your faith and trust in God. Jacob clearly knew that God was in the place where he was. But the very next verses bring into question how much Jacob really understood about the God who was with him…and I think we’re too often just like him. Let’s look at what Jacob did and then examine some of the pitfalls in his spiritual attitude.

First off, Jacob negotiates with God using the classic "if…then" perspective. Jacob says, "The Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth." But only if God meets certain conditions for Jacob. You see Jacob said he would honor God, give him a tenth and dedicate the location as God’s house, if God would:

1. Be with him.
2. Watch over him on his journey.
3. Give him food to eat.
4. Give him clothes to wear.
5. Grant safe journey back to his father’s house.

What’s implied by Jacob’s edict is that the Lord will not be his God if He fails to provide any or all of what Jacob has asked for. And if the Lord isn’t his God then why should he give Him anything. After all, God didn’t give him what He asked for. All this left me wondering what God thought about Jacob in all this. It also left me wondering how God feels about us as we make the same mistake that Jacob made today.

I say this because faith in God is too often conditional for many people. I will trust God if He gives me just what I want or need. In other words, "If God gives me what I want or need, then I will trust and have faith Him." Or…"If God gives me His everything, then I will give Him my everything in return." This mindset leads to a shallow understanding of God and a weak faith that results in a person feeling God doesn’t exist and/or God doesn’t love and care about them because He fails to answer their prayers and give them what they want. It just doesn’t work that way. We are telling God that, in all cases, our will must be done or else we won’t have faith in Him or give Him anything. The sad part of this mindset is that it isn’t about our will…it’s about God’s will for us.

God is God…almighty…all powerful…all majestic…all capable of anything. He is our Creator…our Father…our Master…He is in charge…not us. So it is all about His will for us. What does He want and need in our lives? That is what we should be asking. We should be praying and asking God what His will is for us and then pray for everything that will allow His will to be done. That is the proper way to approach the throne of grace and mercy…to come before the Everlasting, Almighty, Infinite God of Heaven. Keep this in mind…God ordains the conditions of life, not us. The only thing unconditional in God is His love for all of us and that’s good news we should always rejoice in.

Question: Are you playing the "If…then" game with God? If so, then stop…and get your attitude adjusted in the way you understand your relationship with the Almighty. He loves you and He wants the best for you and that might mean enduring hardship to grow in faith and perseverance (in other words, the best thing for us might not be something we necessarily enjoy). He also wants to help you grow more and more to be like His Son Jesus. Know and trust that if you turn to Jesus and live as He lived, then you will always be in the proper spiritual attitude and will ever first seek the Father’s will for you..no matter what that will may be. For that is what Jesus did…all the way to the cross.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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