Devotion's Promises

Friday, May 21st, 2010

Today's Passage: Psalm 37
Memory Verses: Ps.37:4-5

I was giving my kids at school a lunch/movie reward today. They wanted to watch a musical version of Alice in Wonderland, so I put it in. I'm always looking for something that speaks to me or gives me a "message" from everyday things, but this time I truly wasn't paying that much attention. Nevertheless, I began to notice something interesting going on with Alice. When she thought about how small and unable she was to reach the key to open a door, a bottle of liquid appeared, and she was able to grow tall enough to reach it.

You know how the story develops. Before long, she grows taller than she expects, and becomes too large for even the house she is in. So something else magically appears, allowing her to chew and shrink. But of course she gets so small that she almost drowns in the tears she cried when she'd gotten oversized. Do you see a pattern here? She was following the desires of her heart, but could not find a comfortable balance in spite of getting exactly what she wanted each time.

How does this story apply to us? You and I have so many desires bottled up inside of us. But, because there are just as many distractions that may be sent to keep us from the true promises of our Father, God is not in the business of giving us everything we could possibly want. God's prescription for receiving the promises that HE has set aside for us is to shut out all the distractions and focus on making HIM our greatest desire. Why is this important? The more we devote ourselves to serving and growing in Him, the more we can recognize the counterfeit desires.

One of the greatest byproducts of receiving our promise is REST. If it's truly from God, He gives us the ability to be at rest and wait on it. The blessing of the Lord makes us rich and adds no sorrow. Brothers and sisters, whatever your desire is today -- REST in the knowledge that, if it's in His will, it's yours. Learn to love Him more now than you ever have. This will ensure that, once the blessing becomes yours, you won't begin to worship or give your devotion to "it" rather than Him. As you wait, free from anxiety, your prayer will change from: "God, all I want is ..." to "all I want is You. EVERYTHING else is secondary." And THAT'S where we'll truly begin to receive the promises guaranteed as a result of our devotion.

Prayer: Father, You have my complete devotion. Forgive me for the times when I've allowed my eyes to wander to some earthly thing, thinking for a brief moment that it could possibly satisfy the void only You can fill. Give me Your grace to fall in love with You more and more daily, and may the things of this world become dimmed in the light of Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.