The truth be told, whenever we approach God, we generally want him to do something for us. In like manner, we see God more as a Genie to solve some problem rather than seeking the truth of his spirit.
Sadly, more often than not, we ask God for money, for position for favor.
We ask God for health, for property and to influence the world around us.
How many of us have friends or kids that whenever they see us have their hands out wanting something from us? There ‘friends’ and family attempt to ‘get’ something out of us, in fact, many times asking for things they don’t really need or could do for themselves if there were to put off the desire for a while.
Our approach to God is rather often the same way. Instead, we should be actively engaged and involved with his work. We should approach our heavenly father in the same way we approach our earthly father. We should approach Him with reverence and in an appeal to spend time with Him, not trying our best to get something out of Him.
In prayers we attempt to beat down God, to wear him out so he’ll obviously change his mind and give whatever it is that we want.
You see, there is a selfishness about what we are really after. We apply this ‘con’ on people and then try it out on God. In every sense of the word, our efforts should be concentrated on others. The reverse is generally true as we are more concern for our self.
Who in their right mind wants a friend or family member to come around to be with us simply because they have a need? Doesn’t self-preservation dictate that we attempt to avoid those people and steer away from users?
I think God is identical. He doesn’t like users and is begging for our attention and for us to spend quality time with him, not just when we need something. Of many things, God is best at judging our hearts. Our hearts must be pure to properly approach Him. Jesus is always there waiting to give us our most precious gift and that is total forgiveness for our sins. Afterward there should be the longing, the natural yearning to enjoy one’s company. Our need then for a genie should be over as once we are reconciled with God through Jesus, we should rely on him to meet all our needs. Meeting these needs then is a result of a relationship of Him telling us, and not the other way around. Simply stated, we need Him to tell us what we really need for our history explains we usually choose and choose wrong.
Hard Times Ministries 