December 20 - Give Me! Give Me!

Someone once said that if the Generation X were the “Me Generation”, then the Millennial Generation could be called the “Me Me Me Generation”. Our younger generations are increasing focusing on the needs of the self despite of having so much. Eugene Peterson translated the names of the twin daughters of the leech as “Gimme” and “Gimme More”. The spirit of greed and discontent is nothing new for the roots go back a long time.

Four things are never satisfied, they never say, “That’s enough, thank you!” They are hell, a barren womb, a parched land and a forest fire. Take a look at the list and you may find out that these insatiable needs are driven by depravations, desires, passions and needs. A life that is not totally satisfied by God will have the need to get more and not be satisfied. This is also the curse on Adam after the Fall that man will have to toil and sweat but barely get enough.

This is our condition when we get away from the Lord. Whenever we see our needs and wants as supreme, we put God aside, resulting from more needs. The people of Haggai’s time needed to consider their ways. They have sown much and harvested little. They eat but never have enough; they drink, but never have their fill. They clothe themselves but no one is warm. Those who earn wages do so to put them into a bag with holes. The curse of Adam is in operation because of their sin. They keep on saying that time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord. However, they live in paneled houses while the house of the Lord lies in ruins.

Delayed obedience equals disobedience and it is the chief cause for the lack in our lives. We work hard but gather very little. The things that we have do not satisfy our appetite. We keep looking for bigger and better things, to achieve higher and greater goals, to make more and more money, etc. without knowing that it is a part of the curse. In a world of limited resources, we have to strive to get a bigger piece of the pie. In God’s divine economy, our obedience will always come with unlimited provisions from God.

When the Israelites obeyed the Lord and began rebuilding the house of the Lord, the Lord of hosts said, “And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory. The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former. And in this place I will give peace.”

Are you still trying to get something for your life so that you may be satisfied? Obey God now and not your desires or needs. His blessings will come.