DEAL OR NO DEAL ??



Look at those shoes! I have happy-dancing-feet that I was able to find a bunch of shoes that are really cheap, really-really cute, and really-really-really comfortable. I got a great deal, and I consider this exercising good stewardship over the finances the Lord has provided. I’m pretty sure my hubs likes the fact that the money I spent on my little shoe-tribe would have bought only one or two pairs in stores and/or magazines.

Isn’t it fun to feal like a deal maker, to be able to manage and control an “agreement” to get what you want? What a power surge! In some circles, that’s called “haggling.” I don’t attend garage sales, but many people do, and haggling is often part of the process. My 95-year-old father has spent a lifetime haggling. He’s made some really great deals, from buying unusual antiques to wheedling freebie replacement boxes of waffles from the company that made the grevious error of producing broken and/or smashed waffles in his beloved breakfast stash.

Yes, definitely, the more I think about it, making a deal is a control issue. It’s usually harmless fun. But now I’m thinking of the flip side, the harmful side, i.e., the phrase “make a deal with the devil.” Many people, usually unbelievers, unknowingly are making daily “deals” with Satan by allowing him to influence their minds and hearts to the “lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life” (1 John 2:16). I’m thinking Satan is always really pleased with the deals he’s making, and that includes making people think they’re the ones in control of these deals. People are haggling with Satan, ignoring the Lord, trying to get the most stuff out of life, and forfeiting their souls in the process. Satan loves haggling.

On the other hand, I’m pretty sure that the Lord God does not love haggling. He has never once considered allowing anyone to “make a deal” with Him regarding salvation. He will never accept our offers, our deals, of our own good works or our own righteousness in exchange for heaven. That’s because He has accepted ONLY the work of His Son on the Cross, through His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12), purchasing eternity for us, a one-time offering for sins (Hebrews 9:28). Now that’s a power surge!

My Jesus, my Lord, my lips stumble to speak words that express my heart’s gratitude that You allow no deal-making. Otherwise, You would not be my sovereign Lord, You would be like me, and clearly, You are not (Psalm 50:21; Isaiah 55:8). I know that You have forgiven me for my pre-salvation sin of trying to trick You into letting me into Your heaven. I thank You for daily reminders in Your word that I’m to trust You, not to haggle with You to get things I want. At the end of this life, all the shoe-bargains will be meaningless. Thank You for keeping my perspective properly aligned. With my first breath in heaven, all that will matter is being with You and seeing Your glory (John 17:24). Come, Lord Jesus.

EVERY PERFECT GIFT



As a wee child, even though I bore a super sweet curly-headed resemblance to Shirley Temple, it was a clever deception.  I was always a stingy child. It probably started when my parents had the audacity to bring home a squalling noise-factory they referred to as my “brother.” As this brother grew older, the folks expected me to share (!) my toys and my room and my desserts with him. Even if mom gave me bigger toys and bigger slices of cake, I still felt deprived somehow. It took awhile before I began seeing this brother as a person to be enjoyed. And I failed to appreciate mom for being Mom and not my personal Mrs. Santa. Sadly, I think the need to hold onto what was MINE grew roots deep into my brain, because I feared that things were temporary and could be taken away at any moment.
Somewhere a few years ago, I saw a drawing/cartoon of a little girl holding her well-loved teddy bear (or maybe it was a doll?) tightly in her hands. In front of her was a smiling Jesus, and He was holding a really big teddy bear in His hands behind His back. The message is that all she had to do was release her raggedy beloved bear to Him, and He would replace it with something so much better. She look suspiciously at Him.

It’s true that sometimes we (meaning me) like to hold onto things tightly. Even though we/me understand fully that sometimes He certainly might have something much better in mind for us/me, there’s a stingy, untrusting fear that maybe He doesn’t have our/my best interests at heart.

I recall some instances in my life when I put on my big-girl pious hat, offered Him my trust, and loosened my grip on some object/circumstance, expecting to receive something better. And He did indeed give me a tremendous gift. 

He offered me ... His empty hands. He offered me Himself. He offered me an opportunity to worship and praise Him, not just a gift. Apparently, He thought I needed a change in perspective. So I remained “giftless” for a season. It was then that I learned to trust and love Him more, because there were no competing affections. I learned that temporary earthly stuff was diddly squat compared to eternity with my Lord and Savior.

My Jesus, how I thank You for the times of “giftlessness.” I thank You for gently showing me that Your grace is sufficient for me, that You alone are sufficient. I thank You for causing me to remember Thomas, by showing him Your empty hands, that were not really empty. Those crucified hands showed that You, my Lord and my God, lovingly died for sins, among which is greediness for gifts. You are my gift, and because You secured eternal life for me on the Cross, I’m assured of sinless adoration of You. How I look forward to that moment when I see You face to face, my perfect Gift.