Gimmee, gimmee, gimmee…
On lazy Saturday afternoons, the kids often get restless and I begin to hear, “Mom, can we go rent a movie?” Or, “Can we run down to the store and buy some treats?” Once in the store, the materialistic spirit takes over with requests for new toys, new books, items that so-and-so has or special snacks that we don’t usually keep around the house. Gimmee this, gimmee that…
I understand where they are coming from since I have a long wish list myself of items I would love to add to my home and life. Even in tough economic times, we still come from a nation with the “gimmee”s. Part advertising, part upbringing, and part human nature, we are never quite content with what we have but always longing for something a little bit more. Or maybe I just speak for myself today – I struggle with the peaceful contentedness that the apostle Paul claimed to know. Even if the glass of life is 95% full, I have a tendency to look at the 5% of emptiness and wish for more.
But, when I sit down with the Lord in the mornings and bring my list before Him, it doesn’t usually include items I can find in the corner store. It’s not just more “stuff” that I want to fill my life, but more peace, more hope, more joy…
Lord, I need peace right now in the midst of this crazy schedule, overwhelming demands and stressful situations. Please give me strength to complete all the tasks You’ve given me for this week. Lord, increase my faith so I can see how You will provide everything we need for this situation. Please God, give me patience to deal with my children and courage to face the frightening realities of life and self-control to be the person You are calling me to be. This list is never ending.
God wants us to come to Him with our requests and He promises to give us all these things on my “wish list” but He wants to give us even more. It’s so easy for my relationship with God to slip into consumer mode, where I come to Him with requests and hope to leave with my cart filled up by answers from above. But that’s not how God’s economy works. Paul said,
“I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
What was Paul’s secret? He asked God for only ONE thing. Jesus.
The most simple requestof all:
Give me Jesus.
When life is overwhelming: Give me Jesus.
When I’ve failed once again: Give me Jesus.
When I am afraid: Give me Jesus.
When I am in need: Give me Jesus.
Give me Jesus…as the old spiritual says, “You can have all this world, but give me Jesus.”
So, instead of coming to God for peace or comfort or hope or even financial security today, I come to Him seeking ONE thing only: Jesus. This single-minded focus on Jesus as not only my savior or my Lord, but my friend, my answer, my resource and my everything, this is what brings true contentment. I know that if I have Jesus, I have all I need.
Seeking His face with you,
Amen, so very true.
Ha – my spam word is ‘peace’ 🙂
You are right, Heather – we often want more, but not necessarily what we need…I know it is true for me. May I be content in knowing that I belong to Him…
Nice post. it’s hard to fight the consumerism of our culture. We live a few blocks from a strip mall and my kids think it’s cool to ride their bikes to Subway or Dairy Queen (even when I’ve got sandwich makings in the fridge and ice cream in the freezer). Why?
Anne Graham Lotz has a book (and a conference) by this title “Give me Jesus.” it’s very good.
Heather – great devo today. Wouldn’t it be great if we all just said “gimme gimme” when it came to Jesus! -blessings, Laurie
Give me Jesus!! Amen!! Thank you for this great reminder… Great devotion Heather… Blessings…
Okay Heather, I found it today!! Thanks. Yes! Our needs are tremendous and our answer is Jesus!
At She Speaks last summer, Lysa talked about a situation (don’t remember what it was) but she cried out three times fast “help me Jesus, help me Jesus, help me Jesus!”~That stuck with me, because of how often I feel that desperate! So I adopted using it from time to time…last night for my talk w/ the youth girls, I drew a little fish swimming against the flow of a bunch of big fish and he was saying, “help me Jesus, help me Jesus, help me Jesus!”
You can have all this world…give me Jesus (Fernando is singing in my head!)
Thank you for sharing this. You are so right, Jesus is all we need.
The song by Fernando Ortego came to mind, “Give Me Jesus.” Nothing else matters.
Thank you for this post, Heather. Wonderful reminder.
Have a blessed weekend.
Oh Heather..
Give me Jesus… Amen. Amen… Amen. Hugs.