What If …

What if you were able to make one personal request of the Lord with His guarantee that He would grant it? If this request was only allowed to apply to you personally, what would it be?

For me, there are times in a moment of personal reflection when I might wish that I were a robot - a spirit so perfectly tuned to God’s will, heart and commandments that I never made mistakes. There have been many times in life when I’ve had the disappointing opportunity to stop and think to myself “I wish I hadn’t said that (done that, thought that)” knowing full well that nothing escapes my Father’s notice. We’re all exposed to emotional and physical situations and motivations that in our unfinished refinement might move us to do, think or say things that we find ourselves regretting when we stop to think about them later. But it’s not robots that He wants. If He did, He would have created us that way from the beginning.

I have no doubt that any desire by me to be a perfectly performing robot is a repugnant thought to our Lord. That perfect, flawless and constantly repetitive state would defy the purpose for our creation and deprive Him of something that He truly enjoys. I’m not talking about any notion that He might enjoy watching us suffer or find ourselves doing something we live to regret. He doesn’t take pleasure in our pain or mistakes. He enjoys the essence that our individual character and personalities create and so I’m convinced that He would find robotic spirits ... boring.

As a parent who loves and values my children, I have derived much pleasure from watching them grow and mature. They provide a pleasing and captivating interest for me in life that I enjoy. I find myself trying to anticipate how they’ll deal with the different situations in life, always hoping for their success and hoping that the fruit of their lives will produce an aroma pleasing to our Lord. Each of our seven children has a different personality and character that can produce a multitude of different responses to the same life challenges and situations. I may not always like their response to them or the things that they may be doing at the time, but always I love each one of them constantly without any gap. The lives of each of our children provide a point of interest and hope that satisfies something deep within us as parents … and in this … we are definitely created in His image.

The Lord Himself has referred to us as the salt of the earth. He was of course referring to us as His children, providing an essence or flavor in the world of His own Spirit by His presence in us. If we’re truly of His Spirit, we’re able to bring pleasure to both Him and those in the world around us (at least to those not possessed by a spirit of darkness - they have their own scent and flavor and they’re not apt to like ours).  To Him, we provide a flavor and essence that He savors as a Father. Our individual character and personalities provide the different variations of flavor that He’s subjected to. Some he may find so pleasing that He just can’t get enough of them, while some He may find bitter and unpleasant. Yet others He may find to be bland and tasteless. Sampling these might prove to be an effort without reward, and something we ourselves might just be tempted to spit out or avoid altogether.

My children, like their imperfect dad, make mistakes sometimes. But if I’m possessed of the Spirit of my heavenly Father, I find it pretty easy to forgive them quickly when they repent – just like He forgives me when I’m honest and truly repentant. The only time I struggle to forgive them is when I know that they’re just trying to cover it up or pass over it. In terms of our scented and flavorful conversation so far, that’s like spraying air freshener to cover the smell of poo we might have gotten on us. The source of offense still remains. Rose scented poo is still poo that’s now combined with a fresh rose scent. It’s still  a sickening combination. Until we remove the offense, He still loves us, but understandably He may find it hard to want to be near us.

I readily confess that I’m not perfect (everyone yawns, no one’s surprised), even though my goal is to emulate Christ in spirit. So the last scent that I want to send up by my life is what we might call spiritual stinky. But let’s face it – it happens. When I realize that I’ve been the unintended purveyor of spiritual flatulence, I find myself ashamed and distraught by what I know He’s only too aware of. At times I so despise my weaknesses. But I always have to remember that He’s not surprised … and He constantly loves me in spite of them.

I’m having a little warped fun with this I guess, but seriously - I care about the essence that my Father God is subjected to by my life and I know that I don’t have it all locked down perfectly right all of the time. So, being concerned about the aroma and flavor of my life that I present to my Father, what would you think my request might be? What if? What if I were able to make one personal request of the Lord with His guarantee that He would grant it? If this request was only allowed to apply to me personally, what would it be?

I’ve thought about it a lot and I’m pretty sure that it’s one that I make continually and one that He’s granting in His own perfect time and in His own perfect ways even as I continually make the request:

“Lord, grant me your perspective and help me to live according to it and to all that you’ve spoken...

Because…

If I see this life as you see it, I’ll view it as an eternal journey and won’t live subject to any temptation to live for here and now.

I’ll better understand your corrections for my eternal profit and make eternally based decisions in the here and now instead of what’s best for this moment.

I won’t be tempted to take eternal risks by the things that appeal pleasurably to this flesh when I fully recognize that this flesh only lives for a moment of my eternal lifespan.

If I truly see that you are the only thing in eternity worth living for, then I won’t be tempted by anything else. This world will have no bait, no attraction to lure me from my goal.
 

If I see your children, whoever they are, as an extension of you, then my response to them will be in accordance with your heart and desire for them. The sacrifices I am willing to make for them will be no less than anything you ask of me.  

If I truly see the value that you place on me, then I will never question your motives or your great love for me. I will be secure in my identity and will walk firmly in the high position of great favor that you have given to me purely by your grace.

If I have your perspective, I will live in the troubled days to come as unshakeable and unmoved as you are in me ... and as I am in your heart”

We know that he hears our requests and that He answers according to His will and nature. So if our requests are in keeping with His spirit and heart and are pure, the odds that we’ll receive what we ask for are greatly increased. So, what if you only had one request? What would your request be? Just something to think about. Stay salty my friend!