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A WRONG PICTURE OF GOD
Do you ever find yourself begging God for something? That could be begging for anything really. It could be begging for this new job, or it could be begging for healing for ourselves or somebody that we love, or could be begging for money because we’re broke. It could be anything really.
During a time of incredible stress, I found myself begging God to hear me, begging him to be with me, even begging him to love me. Yes, begging God, the one who created me and everyone else, begging him to take care of me. Begging as if he were some kind of sick being that looked at me and said “Beg me a little bit more. You’re almost there but not quite.”
When I recognized this horribly wrong image of God underneath my prayer, I had to stop and get myself re-aligned with truth! What a difference that made! Out of that experience came the words of the song I wrote called, This Much I Know.
WHAT IS AN ACCURATE PICTURE OF GOD’S HEART TOWARD US?
Jesus came to show us the Father and had quite a bit to say about His heart towards us.
In Matthew 7:7-11 Jesus says,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Then He says, “or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him?”
He also said in John 16:23–24 in the Message version, “This is what I want you to do. Ask the Father for whatever it is in keeping with the things I’ve revealed to you. Ask in my name, according to my will, and He’ll most certainly give it to you. Your joy will be a river overflowing its banks.“ Now that’s an amazing promise!
Yes, God is the Most High and is to be revered. At the same time, He’s our loving, heavenly Father who delights in us, loves us enough to correct us and who welcomes us to be at home with Him. Think about the kids in your neighborhood. If they came barging through your front door, opened your fridge, made some sandwiches then sat down on the couch in your den, that would be weird, right!
However, your own kids are most welcome to do just that! Why? Because they are your kids. There’s a different relationship there. They are at home with you, and you are at home with them. As redeemed children of God, that’s like it is with us and the Father. Yes, we always need to show Him respect and honor Him but also know that He wants us to be at home with Him and He with us.
NOT A GENIE IN THE BOTTLE
This relationship is not to be confused with the genie in the bottle mentality. You rub the lantern until the genie pops out and then the genie gives you three wishes. And I think sometimes I have been guilty of the genie mentality. But remember, the verse in John 16 says, “Ask in My name, according to My will.”
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT TO ASK?
So how do we know what His will is? I think to know that, we must spend time with Him, learn more about Him through his word. What do you think that looks like? I think that might look like a dedicated time of the day to spend some time praising, reading the word of God and praying. Dedicated. Something specific and set aside. Often times, we wake up in the morning and we’re already running late, and we have to hit the shower and perhaps get the kids up and get them fed and off to school And then we have to hit the traffic and try to reach the office or wherever it is that you’re working usually, barely on time. You get through the day, and you head home exhausted, and you might have a wife or a husband and children to spend time with and get the trash out and get the grass cut with the driveway cleared or go to this appointment or that appointment. Finally, you lay your head down around whatever time you normally go to bed, and you think “oh I haven’t spent any time with God. I think I’ll pray right now” and you fall asleep. Or you open up your Bible and you fall asleep. Does that sound familiar? That’s certainly the way I used to do it. I’ve talked to lots of people over the years and they have great intentions with no execution.
FIRST FRUITS
If we want to know more of what God wants for our lives and if we want to live more in line with what God wants for us on a daily basis, we have to spend time with him on a daily basis. First fruits are usually the best. Let me rephrase that, first fruits are the best. The phrase first fruits is mentioned numerous times in the Bible. God told the Israelites to give Him the first of their crops and the first-born of their animals. It was an act of obedience, trust (that more fruit would come) and honor. The first fruits of your day are the best. So if you set aside 15 minutes first thing in the morning and start with that. A few minutes focused on praising God, reading the word of God and a few minutes praying and then you can expand on that time as that becomes more normal for you.
Some Things have to happen in order for that to happen. You might need to get in bed earlier and then you’ll have to get up earlier. But we are followers of Christ. We’re not followers of Christ just with our lips but with our actions. So first fruits are really, really huge, those first few minutes of the day with the one who gives you life in breath and hope. It starts there.
SOMETIMES SPIRITUAL WARFARE
As we are praying and asking God for this or for that, according to His will (and that’s huge), sometimes we can get a quick answer and He says, “here you go, there’s your answer.” But sometimes there are spiritual battles that need to happen and that’s where a lot of people think that begging is what we should do. But remember God is not some sick being up there laughing at you or me and relishing in the fact that we are begging. Sometimes the spiritual battles that take place are intense! So for instance, if we are praying for someone’s salvation, what we’re really praying for is an awakening within that person to finally realize that they need a Savior. But they have to make that decision. There is the spiritual battle because the enemy does not want that person joining forces with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. So I’m praying for ways that that person can bump into Jesus to a connection with another Jesus follower. That’s how I came to the Lord. Think about how you came to know the Lord. But also we have to realize that these people have to make their own choice. So the spiritual battle ensues. That’s not begging, that’s praying through! That’s recognizing that there’s a battle going on.
There’s an amazing book that was written many years ago called, Piercing the Darkness AND another one called, This Present Darkness. I highly recommend both of those. I can’t remember which one came first but they’re sequels and they are incredible and give you a real glimpse of the spiritual battle. It’s a fictitious story based on spiritual principles that I think will open your eyes like it did mine. The spiritual battle is really really amazing and that’s where we’re praying and perhaps fasting, but not begging. We need to keep this in mind.
SOMETIMES NO
We’re all adults here, correct? You may or may not have kids or grandkids. But my grandkids will ask me something and then they will start begging me for an answer and then the negotiation starts of course. But sometimes, the answer is no. My grandkids call me Pops. I love that! They might ask me if they can ride their bikes in the street. Unless I’m out there watching them, the answer is “no”. That’s a loving answer. The word “no” is actually very beautiful. Sometimes it’s for our own good and we need to accept that. But even as adults, it’s hard to accept. You know what I’m talking about. I’m not pointing fingers at anybody because I find myself doing the same thing and not liking the answer. How many times has the answer been, “no”, and you start begging? More times for me than I’d like to actually admit.
MATURE PRAYER
I can’t stress enough how important it is to be connected on a regular daily, set-aside basis. This helps us mature and then we find ourselves praying mature prayers in faith and knowledge that He hears us.
Did you catch that? Mature prayers in faith. When we are tuned in to the source of life, Jesus, it changes a lot of things in us and it changes our selfish desires or at least, we can keep them in check.
The first verse says,
“This much I know, I don’t have to beg you to talk to me
This much I know, I don’t have to beg you to walk with me
This much I know I don’t have to beg you again and again to lead me Lord
I just need to listen when you speak to me”
That takes us right back to spending time with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on a regular, daily basis. When we’re praising, reading the word and praying, we can hear from God.
The second verse says
“This much I know, I don’t have to beg you to teach me
Give me patience to wait for you as you answer me
This much I know, I don’t have to beg you again and again to show your love
Just let me look through your eyes “
I just want to see through the eyes of Jesus, how He loves me and how He loves you. We have to develop our spiritual eyes and ears. That’s my motivation each day to spend time with Him so that I can see like He sees. Does that make sense?
PRAISE
The bridge of this song is more of just a praise break. I just wanted to honor God and praise Him right in the middle of this song. It says this,
“Such a gift You’ve given to me
By Your grace I am set free
I’m amazed, I stand in awe
Of the great Creator, the most high God“
A praise break! That’s kind of a cool thing when you think about it. Take a praise break right in the middle of your day just like I did right in the middle of this song. Praise is often considered optional but really, it’s powerful; whether it’s acknowledging God’s awesomeness in prayer or singing a song before the Lord or letting a praise song move your heart in love for the Father, praise is extremely helpful to see and hear God. Psalm 22:3 says that God “inhabits the praises of His people”. Psalms 100:4 says “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise”.
It’s quite a praise-worthy moment when we realize (or remind ourselves again) that we don’t have to beg God for anything! He is our loving Father who delights in giving us good gifts; who desires to be with us and bless us. We just need to be in touch and in tune with Him and we do that by spending time with Him every day.
I had a ton of fun not only writing this song but producing it. There are some really cool production elements that I think add to the sparkle and meaning. And would you do me a favor, if this podcast episode or the song is helpful to you, would you share them with someone?
Peace