Gold Diggers and True Lovers

Today in Church we were warned about the danger of having a relationship towards God similar to that of a "gold-digger" where one seeks instant gratification, and treats God like a part of a business deal. I believe I have had this attitude towards God. For example, negotiating with God...ie. because I did not spend enough time with him this week, I will next week. Or "feeling" like you have done your part because you have tithed appropriately or prayed for someone you promised you would pray for.

Such a relationship with God is easy yet empty because it requires carrying out simple deeds and works which are only just that. I think it's good to remember that we serve a God who has feelings, a very real, living and personal God. We would never treat our friends and family as players in a business deal, right? Then why do we treat our God that way? We learned that a true relationship with God requires discipline. This discipline, however, is extremely rewarding. The disciplines that they discussed in church were (1) Giving to those in need (2) Praying privately, and consistently (3) Praying like a child (4) Fasting sometimes.

I never quite understood the importance of fasting but Pastor Jonathan described that fasting is importantly denying your physical, flesh self, in order to remember and pay tribute and honour to who is the real lord of your life, that being God. In essence, it is denying the physicality of who we are to glorify the spirit, to illustrate that we do not live on bread alone but on God's holy word. Besides the ones discussed above, I believe discipline towards God can also be forgoing habitual sin and obeying his word despite a strong proclivity not to.

The most important thing that I took away from church today, however, is the importance of giving our "first fruits" to God. Reference the story of Cain and Abel. Abel gave the best and first of his supplies to God, while Cain gave the leftovers. When I worship God, I want to be able to give him the best part of who I am. I think it would be best to spend time with him when I am the most alert. That time for me would be when I get home from work, so I want to try that out for a while. I think it's also good to actually plan when you spend time with God day by day so that you are more likely to adhere to that plan. Sort of like, I will spend time with God..at 4pm, etc.