Beggars

I'm often frustrated by some of the kids in my neighborhood who only seem to show up when they want something from me.  They seldom come looking for me just to talk.  Sometimes they act as if they just want to hang out, but the conversations always end in with, "I'm hungry, I need shoes, I need a backpack, I need a soccer ball, etc. etc."  While I often help the kids when they ask, it upsets me inside.  It hurts that they see me for what the material things I can offer rather than the relational things I can offer.  Instead of coming to me for love, friendship and relationship, they come to me when they need something.  They might forget about me when they don't need anything and things are going well, but as soon as they tummies are empty or they want something, they come knocking on my gate.

It occurred to me today, that this is how we so often treat God.  He has so much to offer us as a heavenly Father.  He simply wants us to be with Him, walk with Him, talk to Him, and spend time in His presence because we love Him.  But, instead of coming to Him as his beloved children, we come to Him as beggars.  When things are going well, we are quick to forget about God.  We get busy and don't spend time in the Word.  We neglect our prayer time.  Until, something goes wrong and things suddenly start going downhill for us.  We get scared.  We get worried.  We get desperate.  And so, we pray.  Instead of praying to our Father because we love Him, we pray as a beggar hoping for a hand out.

I only have a tiny glimpse of what it must feel like for Him as our Father.  Just as I want relationship from the children in my neighborhood, that is what God wants from us.  His heart breaks when we only come to Him asking for things.  He has so much more to offer us, but we don't seek Him with all of our hearts.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will -- to the praise of His glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

-Ephesians 1:4-6