Refusing to Rush + “Gifts for God”
Gifts for God.
Thinking of a few things I’ve learned of God…
God likes to be PURSUED. SOUGHT OUT. SEARCHED FOR. “…thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, and thou shalt FIND Him, IF thou seek Him with all thy heart and all thy soul.” (Deuteronomy 4:29)
God likes PASSION.
God likes HONESTY. TRANSPARENCY. VULNERABILITY. AUTHENTICITY. “Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts…” (Psalm 51:10)
God likes RESPONSIVENESS. He calls, “woos,” draws, speaks, moves, impresses things on our hearts, etc. and He loves it when an individual is responsive to His touch, His presence, His moving, His promptings.
God likes to BE KNOWN. “For I desired mercy and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6:6) He created humanity for relationship with Him. Relationship always involves getting to know someone, and He wants to be known. As we seek…He reveals.
God likes HUNGER, DESIRE. “Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
God likes INTIMACY. CLOSENESS. CONNECTEDNESS. “Draw close to God, and He will draw close to you.” (James 4:8)
Obviously, the list could go on with things like OBEDIENCE, RIGHTEOUSNESS. LOVE. REPENTANCE, etc. but, as I’m thinking about it, those are “salvational” – required to be saved and stay saved. He does “like” these things, too, but they are requirements, commands, etc.
There are things God likes but doesn’t “require.” You can “get saved” and stay saved without ever seeking out the depths of His heart or searching out His heart on a deeper level. “Extra credit” so to speak…PURSUIT. PASSION. VULNERABILITY. RESPONSIVENESS. DESIRE. To be KNOWN. He likes these things à they have a magnetic drawing effect for Him, but He will never require them of you. If they were required, they would lose their value!
He will save you, because He wants everyone saved. “The Lord…is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) There are commands and requirements for salvation – just as Noah was given incredibly detailed, specific plans for the Ark, God’s Word contains a “plan of Salvation,” but after that, the choices we make in regards to His likes are largely on us. There are not “levels” of salvation. You either are, or you aren’t. You are either “on the boat” or “off the boat.” But…there are “levels” of CLOSE. He allows us to choose how much of Him we get.
“He is a Rewarder of them that DILIGENTLY SEEK Him.” (Hebrews 11:5) HE is the reward. And what a reward He is!!
He will not make you pursue Him. He will not force you to search out the vast depths of His character and heart. He will not require you to adore Him or be passionate about Him. He will not insist upon you desiring Him for Him.
To borrow a line from “A Snoodle’s Tale” (the best Veggie Tales of all time!!): “A gift that’s demanded is no gift at all.” [46]
Salvation is a gift… “you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38) Eternal life is a gift. (Romans 6:23) He knows how to give GOOD GIFTS. (Luke 11:13) He will not demand that you receive the gift, but those that choose to, find salvation. Once you’ve opened that box, there will be a desire to give gifts back to Him. That small inkling will either grow or dissipate based on your choice to give “gifts” that He likes. He will never demand them of you but will long for them from you. He will always want you to move past salvation and into relationship; past revelation and into closeness; past closeness and connectedness into INTIMACY.
You will never regret giving God gifts He likes.