Tag Archives: Desire

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day 2 Chronicles 1

2 Comments

That night God appeared to Solomon. God said, “What do you want from me? Ask.” 2 Chronicles 1:7 (MSG)

What do you want?

It’s such a revealing question. As an actor, I was trained to break a character’s words down and ask this question for almost every line of a play. “What is it you want?” For the character of Lars Knudsen (pictured), the motivations were pretty simple. Lars wanted his love, Martha.

A character, a person, you, and me – we all speak, act and think out of that which motivates us. Watch a person long enough, listen to their conversation, and you can often find what motivates them. Their words and their actions reveal their motivation. You can see what they want.

What do I want?

It’s not such an easy question to answer. I’d like to say I want wisdom and I want God’s will. But, the reality is that my words and my actions convict me of less honorable motivations.

Today, I’m trying to answer the question honestly. What do I want?

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day 2 Kings 14

1 Comment

Picking a fight. Amaziah wouldn't take No for an answer. So Jehoash king of Israel gave in and agreed to a battle between him and Amaziah king of Judah. They met at Beth Shemesh, a town of Judah.

 Judah was thoroughly beaten by Israel—all their soldiers ran home in defeat. 2 Kings 14:11-12 (MSG)

As the youngest of four children, I learned a certain life lesson early: don't be gettin' the big head and don't be pickin' fights, especially with people (or siblings) bigger than you. It's simply not a good idea.

Another life lesson I picked up regrettably late in life: if you are feeling so driven to do something that you won't take no for an answer, then stop. Take a deep breath. Think about it. Ask yourself why. Get help. Obsession is generally a sign that, as Shakespeare put it, "something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

Amaziah's two victories had him feeling all manly and over confident. Driven by pride, or greed, or lust he picked one fight too many. He ended in captivity, the walls of his city in ruins, his treasures looted. What a great word picture of what happens when we allow ourselves to be driven and obsessed by our pride and flesh. We become captive to sin, our lives reduced to ruin.

God, grant me the wisdom to learn from Amaziah's example. May darkness and hatred be my only conquest. Be, O God, the only treasure my heart truly desires. Set me free from captivity to my self-centered obsessions that I might be captivated only by your Holy Spirit. Amen.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and richteabiscuit

Chapter-a-Day

Chapter-a-Day Micah 6

1 Comment

Not all that glitters is gold. No matter how much you get, it will never be enough— hollow stomachs, empty hearts.No matter how hard you work, you'll have nothing to show for it— bankrupt lives, wasted souls. Micah 6:14 (MSG)

Materialism is a jealous lover. She commands every thought. She demands incessant desire. Pursue her; seek after the latest, the newest, the shiny thing that everyone must have. Reach, stretch, claw to get that one thing. To touch it, to possess it will feel so good, she says. Then, I will have arrived. Then, I will be satisfied. Materialism. She rewards with a fleeting orgasm of satisfaction. It feels so good for a moment. Then it quickly fades. Emptiness and hollowness creep back into the vacuum of a vacant soul. The cycle starts over. My lover, she points to the new conquest. My eyes gaze upon the next object of desire to be pursued in the cycle of never enough.

God, teach me to be content.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and myklroventine