ServantOne
Helping Others Get To Where They Want To Go
Getting Squeezed
It’s a Monday . . . and I should not try anything technical. Mondays and technology just don’t mix
Today, I was going to be THE MAN! I was going to make my blog . . . THE BLOG
Today, I tried to be creative . . . witty . . . insightful . . . Kingdom minded. But, today the “creative juices just weren’t flowing”
How often does that happen in our lives . . . as dads, as husbands, and as men.
- We often feel that the proverbial “grass is greener on the other side”.
- We become convinced a “new idea” is a better idea.
- We are often trapped with the “good things” or even “better things” taking precedent over the “best things”.
We want to be The Man . . . but we’re just not!
This past weekend, I was reminded in my reading . . .
Don’t love the world’s ways. Don’t love the world’s goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all its wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. (I John 2:15-17, The Message)
Whenever anything begins to “squeeze out my love for the Father”, it becomes the wrong thing . . . no matter how new, how great, how wonderful . . . or how much I want it . . . it has nothing to do with the Father . . . it has everything to do with me.
Here are three attitudes that “squeeze” the wrong way . . .
1. It’s my way or the highway.
Many have used this phrase to say things are done my way or no way.
- It’s what I want.
- I’m the boss.
- I’m the dad.
- I’m your husband.
- I’m the man in this house.
- I’m the one who brings home the paycheck.
Going down that road is a dead end.
Let me rephrase this in a more biblical sense. In my life with the Father . . . it’s not my way! It’s His Way. It never is what I want . . . it’s only what He wants. Jesus wrapped it up for us when He said, “Not my will, but Yours, be done”. (Luke 22:42)
2. I need that.
How many times have we sat in front of a TV and a new commercial comes on for whatever . . . car . . . cell phone . . . computer . . . golf club . . . and our thought is, “I need that!” Who are we kidding? The new car won’t get you the girl . . . and if it does, you’re in trouble. The new iPhone won’t improve your reception . . . and you still won’t be able to find Uncle George’s phone number. The computer will crash. And, the new golf club won’t help your game. So . . . you don’t need it. You want it . . . and then you convince yourself that you deserve it . . . or that you worked hard for it. All of these “things” contribute to the disconnection from our family, our spouse and our Lord. David said in Psalm 27:4,
I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet.
3. I’m The Man.
We may not say it, but we sure do think it. If we can just appear to be important . . . just appear to have it all together . . . if our wives would just respect us . . . and if our kids would just appreciate us . . . me, Me, ME . . . it’s all about me. Any time we become that self-centered we can no longer be God-centered. Paul summed it up in writing to the Galatians, “Not I, but Christ”. Gal 2:20
How did The Message put it, “Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way (it’s my way or the highway), wanting everything for yourself (I need that), wanting to appear important (I’m the Man)—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. “
I am trying to come to the place in my life . . . where I know that it’s not my way, I don’t need it, and I’m not the man.
I simply want to do what the Father wants me to do. I want to have what the Father wants me to have. I want to be what the Father wants me to be.I don’t want to be isolated from Him . . . I want to be impacted by Him.
It’s time to be His Man!
ServantOne 