If I do something for you, will you reciprocate? Am I motivated into being friendly to the neighbor so I can borrow his tools? Or is it the other way around? Am I friendly to the neighbor because he offers me the use of his tools?
It is so easy to get caught up in the game. Doing things in order to get things. Acting nice so we can get favors. Doing favors so we can get something we want in return. We get so used to doing it to one another that we probably end up trying to do it to God, too.
I would like for you to consider a passage from the Book of Psalms:
Ps 107:8-9 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Notice the sequence of events. We are to give thanks because the Lord satisfies us. It isn’t the other way around, the Lord satisfying us because we praise Him. He has already done wonderful things for us; we owe Him much praise. Because He loves us, He will continue to satisfy. We can’t trade praise, behavior, offerings, or sacrifice in exchange for His love. It pre-existed us – His plan of salvation, His love-action was in place before either you or I were even figments of our parents’ imaginations. That should lead us to freely praise Him always; not for what we’ll get out of it, but because of what we already have. What a wonderful God to serve!
My tools are in the garage by the back door. Have a great day!
Dr. G
(My thanks go to Pastor Mike Goetz http://www.mgoetz.blogspot.com/ for the idea on this one. The grandfather clock was his story, too.)
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