BOGOs AND TWO-FERs !!

I’m prone to tuning out t.v. commercials, as I do most programming.  And I’m also prone to involuntary whiplashing when I hear an overly-exuberant advertiser scream, “But WAIT! If you order right NOW, you get one [whutever] FREE!  All you have to do is pay for shipping costs!”

My initial reaction is, if you gotta pay for shipping, it ain’t free. Second, unless I believe my special friend/relative would genuinely want one, whatfer do I need two of this gizmo?

It’s everywhere, like bug infestations – “buy one, get one free!”  “Two for the price of one!”

Well, I guess my cantankerousness is showing. I get a wee bit annoyed when I’m being told that I’m getting a stupendous deal, when instead, they’re not-so-subtly trying to abscond with my moulah.  That’s the real BOGO … play mind games with me AND steal me blind!  Wheee!

Okay, rant over.  But since I still feel like ranting, let’s do it in a more uplifting manner.  Psalm 119:18, 37 gives me the excellent advice of opening my eyes TO worthy things, and keeping my eyes OFF worthless things.  Isn’t this fun?  Two rants for the price of one!

So, what worth-ful thing, or Person, CAN I set my eyes on?  In today’s lingo, The Lord Jesus is indeed my Savior (Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4), BUT WAIT!!   He’s more!  He’s also my Advocate (1 John 2:1), my Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:4), my Redeemer (Romans 3:24), and so much more.  And furthermore, He’s “free.”  There is no fee, there is nothing extra to pay, EVER!

So, what do I get out of this?  I get … to be God’s permanently adopted child (John 1:12; Galatians 4:5-6).  BUT WAIT, there’s more!  If I’m saved today, I also get … to be declared justified, and glorified (Romans 8:38), and sanctified (1 John 3:14). Hey, my name is recorded in heaven (Luke 10:20), all for no extra charge!  My bill has been paid, permanently.  There is no small print, no sneak fees.  It’s done.  Finished (John 19:30).

My Lord and my God, in this holiday season of expressing thankfulness, and of buying and giving and receiving, always looking for the best deals, the free deals, let me never forget the only “deal” that has ever mattered ... that you have reconciled me to Yourself (Colossians 1:20) through my Jesus. You’ve made it clear that I am permanently and endlessly loved (John 10:29) by You.  My Jesus, You are my permanent treasure in heaven, and all other earthly treasures are very temporary. Thank You for insisting that I keep my eyes away from worthless things, and instead, fixing my secure and confident hope upon You, my Rock and my Savior, the hope laid up for me in heaven (Colossians 1:5).  I am indeed eternally thankful for You.

50 SHADES OF BLUE

 

Once Upon a Time, I was a sickenly-sweet moppet of a child, the darlingest of tots. According to my unbiased mother. And also according to mom, I developed one bad habit. If I didn’t get my way, I’d protest the unfairness by holding my breath. Until I turned blue. After several of these tantrums, fearful for my life, poor mom called the doctor, begging for his help. Doc said, “Ignore her. Walk out of the room. She just wants attention. The worst that can happen is she’ll faint and then start breathing again.”

It just about killed her, but she walked away. Being a fast learner, I never bothered turning blue again. And we all lived happily ever after.

Wouldn’t it be nice if I could say that I never-ever again demanded my own way? It’s easy enough to justify being demanding in this world because I see the same behavior from others every day, usually on the news. Sometimes it has to do with which direction one’s knees are bent, up or down. Protesting in its many forms is demanding attention, wanting what we want when we want it. And if we don’t get it, we’ll “hold our breath” in one way or another until we get it.

Although I’ve never tried holding my breath literally in adulthood, since the Lord saved me, it has now occurred to me that maybe, sometimes, rarely, I’ve done it spiritually. If He isn’t giving me what I ask for, speedily, well, I recognize that I have indeed held my spiritual breath as an incentive to Him to produce-or-else.

It’s unnerving to see that in print, to admit to myself and to Him that this is in my heart. It’s obvious that turning spiritually “blue” means that I don’t believe His way is best, no matter what His timeline is. It’s an obvious lack of trust, and God has never been a fan of whining and complaining children. He doesn’t panic about His kids’ behavior. The wandering Israelites learned that the hard way, moaning about their wandering and His manna provision (Numbers 21:4-5).

My patient and loving Father, thank You for gently (and sometimes forcibly) teaching me to stop holding my spiritual breath in a bid for what I think is proper attention and instant gratification. Sometimes I’m a slow learner, thinking that feeding my pride is preferable to humbly and joyfully trusting in You with all my heart. Please help me to remember that You graciously give me breath every day. I want to live out Your written word in Psalm 50, and be like all creation, that everything (including me) that has breath praise the Lord. Thank You for causing me daily not to hold my breath, but to breathe out praise for Your excellent greatness!